Madness Unleashed
by InuKagomeLuver4Eva
Summary: With the power of madness threatening the world once more, it's up to Maka and friends to vanquish it. But will the overwhelming power crush the meister mind, body, and soul? "Those who meddle outside the laws of God shall face the wrath of the Reaper; There is no redemption for those who break the sacred law." Soul X Maka *M for gore and language*
1. For Mother Russia

**Yeah, I gotta stop thinking of new stories. So, this one is actually a remake of one I made years ago. Problem is, that story was deleted, but I do remember some of it so I'll try to recreate it as best I can. I'm slacking on my other stories, Captured, for example, but will update it as best I can so I can get them back up and going.**

* * *

Maka Albarn searched the ghost town with cautious emerald eyes, her breath billowing in the frigid air of Innopolis, Russia. Kid, or rather now Lord Death, had sent the 3-Star meister and weapon duo to investigate rumors of a pre-Kishin going around and stealing innocent souls from the townsfolk. Fear spread quickly through the small town as the death count began to grow, many villagers rushing to safety by crossing the Volga River to a small peninsula called Tatarstan. The small town of less than 100 people had already dwindled down to nearly half due to the killer's aggressive killings. Some houses were in shambles due to the near-Kishin destroying them to retrieve its victims. Rubble lined the powder-coated streets, but heavy snowfall had all but covered the evidence. In the mission file, the information provided was hardly any help to Maka. The only known clues were horror stories created by the terrified townspeople, their fear and anxiety causing inaccurate information. Some claimed it was a monster that stood nearly 7-foot-tall while others claimed to creature was as short as 3 foot. One old man even claimed the creature had the torso of a woman with the head of a goat and the lower half of a snake; though that sounded more like a Mythology reference than an accurate description.

_"You sense anything, Maka?"_ Soul's voice reverberated loudly in the silence, his face appearing in the scythes' blade.

Maka shook her head as she slowly expanded her Soul Perception to cover a larger area, her eyes closing to concentrate. There was nothing for miles except a few wild animals taking shelter from the arctic winter. She could sense the owner of the Inn they were staying at along with what few townspeople were left. Even with a heavy coat, earmuffs, gloves and multiple layers on, Maka could still feel the stinging cold creeping into her bones. Her fingers were going numb, even after being outside for a mere few minutes. It was so cold, even her soul was beginning to shake slightly from the harsh conditions.

"There's nothing around for miles, just some wild animals. Even if I stood here for a while longer, I'm sure the cold would take me before a would-be Kishin could. Let's head back to the Inn for now before we freeze to death. Maybe someone at the front desk will have more information."

Heavy boots crunched crisply against the freshly fallen snow as Maka trudged through the fresh loose powder, the snow beneath already compacted and solid. The dead of winter in Russia usually resulted in impressive levels of snow and harsh winds, mercilessly taking those who wandered into Mother Nature's deadly hands. A violent chill raced up her spine and Maka felt her teeth clattering loudly in the still air. Signs of hypothermia were beginning to show, quickly sapping what energy she had left. Even Soul was freezing in his scythe form, the shaft of the blade like ice against gloved hands.

_"Even if the Kishin showed up there's no way we can fight it in this weather. We'd have to find a shelter of some sort, so we don't freeze to death. I'm not sure if even the black blood can withstand this."_ Soul sniffled loudly.

"Mmm," Maka agreed, her mind preoccupied elsewhere.

The Inn was getting closer into view as thick smoke billowing from the double chimney stack protruded from the heavily snow-covered roof. Out of all the buildings remaining in the town, the Inn was the strongest one. Every wall and floor had been reinforced with dual insulation and thicker materials in attempt to retain what little heat it could during the brutal season. It was a quaint two-story brick cottage with a mere 10 rooms throughout the whole building. Out back was a now buried garden that provided the guests meals, but for now those would be whatever food had been canned before winter.

Maka and Soul were fortunate enough to get a room close to the boiler room; thankfully not even a draft of cold air entered the domain. Most places assumed they were a couple and some desk attendants have offered to put them up in the romantic suites. Soul would break out in a hearty laugh while Maka turned bright red and 'Maka Chopped' said weapon over the head. The two may have been together for nearly 5 years, but it was strictly a meister/weapon relationship, completely platonic.

Being _together-together_ was a ridiculous notion that Maka scoffed at whenever brought up by younger students or people complimenting the two, saying they looked adorable together. A few have even asked if they were married and one even asked if they were planning on having children. Both turned bright red at the more daring remarks, their connected wavelengths betraying their true emotions to one another for a brief second before the emotions were sealed away once more. Sure, they had slept together on certain instances, but the two always respected each other's privacy and personal space when sharing a bed (though Soul tended to flop around in his sleep and sometimes ended on top of the meister). Mostly it happened after a big battle and the two were too tired to go to their separate rooms, opting for the closest piece of furniture to collapse on.

The thought of them actually dating had Maka turning a heavy shade of pink, if possible, under her already red wind-chilled face.

Now that she was older, nearly 18 now, and puberty had kicked it up to high gear the meister had become nothing short of stunning. Her slim legs had become elongated and toned from years of training and missions, her slender arms matching. A few inches had been added to her height while her hips had become fuller and shapelier. Her sandy blonde hair had grown out more as well, though the pigtails seemed to stay, and was down to nearly mid back. Blazing green eyes finely complimented her now slimmer face, her lips became plumper and tinted to the perfect shade of pink. Even her chest had filled out to the next cup size, catching the eyes of younger DWMA students. Some brave (or stupid depending on how you saw it) had even come right up to her and asked her out or asked her to be their meister. Soul usually ignored the fanboys but had to intervene a few times when some of them couldn't take the hint; one even went so far as to stalk her on the way home and ambush her in an alley. Poor kid was hospitalized for three weeks once Soul and Black Star got a hold of him _after_ Maka took a few chops. As flattering as it was, there was only one man for her in her life and he—.

A sudden _zing_ reached her ears and with a sloppy dodge Maka narrowly avoided having her throat sliced clean open by a flying object. Shifting quickly, the meister turned to her left, calculating the direction the weapon flew from. She had gotten so absorbed in her thoughts that she failed to sense the incoming soul wavelength. Clenching her jaw down, she spread her legs to a defensive from, gripping the scythe's shaft harder.

"_Maka, are you alright?_" Soul called out to her, worry etched into his voice.

"I'm fine, it didn't even hit me. Where did that come from? Damnit, I wasn't paying attention, it's my fault."

_"You're bleeding, so I'd say that wasn't a full miss. Besides, I didn't notice him either, so we're both at fault."_

"I'll worry about it later it's just a scratch; we've got bigger issues to handle." Maka ground out as another blur shot by, this one taking a few strands of hair as she jerked her head back. "There! Let's go, Soul!"

Shooting towards the direction of the attack, Maka felt her soul automatically connecting with her partner, sparks flying between them as they began to merge with ease.

"_SOUL RESONANCE!"_

The souls merged into one, power bursting forth from within as meister and weapon became one. Soul began to morph, his Death Scythe form glowing and expanding as Maka charged forward towards a small abandoned hut settled behind some run-down houses. A heavy push from her legs had the meister airborne, scythe swung high above her head as she closed in on her target. A flash of light sparkled briefly in the shattered four-panel window as a ninja star came flying out, clipping Maka above her left eye.

"_DEMON HUNTER!"_

The hut exploded violently on contact and stirred up a large amount of snow, whiting out the surrounding area. Soul Perception triggered and Maka narrowly dodged a kunai aimed for her neck. Balancing Soul in the snow, the meister grabbed hold of the shaft before spinning and round-housing towards the concealed target. Her foot made contact and the assailant was sent flying backwards through the snow. Pressing forward Maka charged after the soul's wavelength, swinging and slicing the massive scythe with ease. Whoever was attacking was skilled, to say the least; barely any of the attacks landed, and if they did, it was a shallow slice.

_"His attacks remind me of Black Star. Be careful, Maka, he's someone with experience in ninja arts."_ Soul warned as he blocked a dangerously sharp blade from slicing Maka's arm clean off. Maka grunted as she pushed hard against the ground, yelling as she put all of her weight against the attacker to throw him back.

"Maybe Black Star could get some stealth lessons from this guy if he lives through all this," Maka caught a foot to the stomach and gasped as the air left her lungs, pain radiating throughout her torso as she slid back through the snow. "This guy is taking advantage of the snow, so why don't we just _clear it out!"_

Bracing the scythe in both hands Maka began to spin it, faster and faster until it reached the point of becoming a blur as a powerful wind force kicked up. The light powder blew away in an instant, clearing a good few inches from the ground as well. Left in its place was an empty space with clear visibility of the entire area, the enemy no longer in front of them. A slight shift in the breeze told Maka exactly where he was and she pivoted on her foot, Soul still spinning rapidly as a sneak attack was deflected from behind. The attacker skidded across the snow, sword in hand while the other supported his crouched form. Nontraditional white ninja armor cloaked his body from head to toe; the only visible detail was the piercing blue eyes peeking through his face mask.

"You… students of DWMA… I am not your intended target, but this shall be an interesting fight!" A masculine voice mused into the air as the ninja vanished. Even with Soul Perception and her instincts, Maka was forced to be on defensive, constantly blocking while her attacker became faster with each attempt. The cold was rapidly sapping her energy; they needed to get out and fast. Soul could feel her strength waning and clenched his jaw tightly with a growl. Maka couldn't hold up this level of fighting for more than a few more minutes. Her slower movements were causing the blade to slip through her defenses and slice porcelain skin wide open like rice paper.

'_**It seems you're struggling, Soul…you can always count on me…' **_A familiar red demon cooed from within Soul. The weapon grunted as another heavy kick was directed at Maka, the scythe taking the brunt of the force. The damned demon always tried to play hero at the last moment.

'_I don't need your damned help, Demon. Once we get an opening we'll strike and finish this. Besides, we made a pact to restrict the black blood unless absolutely necessary. Unless you'd like to have a visit from Maka…?' _Soul gave a toothy grin as he felt the demon get nervous. For a demon, he sure was afraid of a single girl and her books.

'_**Just remember the offer is there, Soul, if you decide to change your mind…' **_The demon fell silent and Soul gave a sigh of relief. He didn't need the maddening effects of Black Blood; this was just like any other 3-Star mission. They could handle it, that he was sure of.

"You are a very skilled meister, Maka Albarn, wielder of Death Scythe Soul 'Eater' Evans; but you know nothing of this environment in which I was born, raised, and trained within. If you can't even hold up against a master ninja how do you expect to defeat a newly reborn Kishin?" The mysterious _master_ ninja mocked as he landed softly atop the roof of an abandoned house, his movements seemingly noiseless. Maka panted heavily with her hands on her knees, body aching painfully. A cut on her forehead began to bleed and she hastily wiped it from her eye, the sweat intermingling with the blood and stinging mildly.

"So, tell me; why would a ninja coincidentally be in the same area as a pre-Kishin sighting? Seems a little odd to me seeing as you were the one to attack first." With a deep breath in and out, Maka stood tall and planted her scythe into the thick snow. "Unless you're out here as a distraction so whoever you're working for can hunt down the suspect and unleash a full Kishin. Am I right?"

The ninja let out a low whistle and began to slowly clap, slightly impressed with her observations.

"I read that you were a smart one; very perceptive of you. But unfortunately, not completely correct. My mission was not merely to distract you, but to test your skills level. I have heard of your skills against the Kishin Asura, but he was an ancient artifact compared to today's Kishin. Simply punching a Kishin in the face will not suffice in taking them down, no matter how well it worked last time. But if this is all you have to offer, I'm afraid you'll have no hope in defeating the next Kishin about to be unleashed upon the world."

Maka glared at the man, anger pooling in the pit of her stomach as she placed her fingers together and stretched them. Neck stretching followed next, her eyes never leaving her target. With a final shoulder roll, she was ready. Grasping Soul in her hand the meister whirled him around with ease, stopping with him placed behind her, ready to swing.

"I don't care who or what you are, but you've made the mistake of attacking us without reason. Soul, get ready."

_"Maka, are you sure about this? Maybe it would be better to retreat for now. Your body can't handle the frigid weather when you're exhausted and losing blood. I don't think –."_

"Soul, _now_!" Maka grit out as she crouched down, preparing for an attack. Soul faltered before steeling his will and readying himself.

"My, my, a bit demanding, aren't we? You should listen to what your partner says, it may be what saves your life." The ninja gracefully stood to his full height, waiting with barely bated breath for the oncoming attack. Kunai slid from his sleeves to his waiting hands, their gleam menacing.

"_**Ahh, I see she still has some sense left in her." **The demon snickered as he watched Soul enter the familiar piano room. He merely shrugged off the death glare from the weapon before seating himself across the room, making himself comfortable for the show that was about to begin._

_"I suggest you keep your mouth shut, demon, before I shut it myself." Soul growled as he loosened the tie around his neck while he looked around the familiar black and red piano room. His pinstriped suit wasn't the most comfortable article of clothing but seeing as it was a special occasion, he'd make do with it for a while. "Maka, this is a stupid idea that won't end well. Your stubbornness isn't cool."_

_"Well, Soul, then we'll just have to see this stupid idea to the finish, now won't we? Besides, you should be used to my stubbornness after all these years."_

_Maka appeared from the shadows of the room, her fingers intertwined at her front like always. Soul turned to glance at her and froze, his heart skipping a beat as he took her in with slightly wide eyes. The flowing black dress was a tighter fit than usual as Maka's curves were on full display, accentuating every part of her body perfectly. Intricate lace gloves had replaced the simple ones from many years ago, tracing all the way up to her shoulders before dipping down to the top swell of her breasts. Solid fabric cascaded down from there, fitting snugly against her like a second skin. Once it reached her hips the flowing fabric flared out into a simple high-low skirt which showed off her lean and tone legs, the black two-inch heels drawing even more attention to them. Her hair had been loosely tied up in a relaxed up-do with two tendrils of hair framing either side of her face, enhancing her angelic-like features._

"_U-uh…yeah, I'll lead." Soul stuttered lamely, mentally slapping himself across the face._

_The demon snickered behind his hand, mischievous eyes dancing. Making a mental note to strangle the imp later on, the weapon turned his attention towards Maka. He was pretty sure she could feel his heart nearly beating from his chest as he took her gloved hand and bowed, gently placing a kiss against her knuckles. Though judging from her reddened expression, she was in a similar situation herself. A shiver shot down Soul's spine and he swallowed hard to control himself as she slid a hand delicately on his shoulder. What was __**wrong**__ with him? She had never triggered such strong emotional reactions like this before, so why now?_

"Let's go!" Maka shouted as she launched towards her opponent, Demon Hunter glowing and morphing once more. _"GENIE HUNTER!"_

_Soul began to swing to the music emitting from the demon's music box, his hand comfortably resting on Maka's waist as he led the dance. They had both changed so much over the past few years that it nearly seemed like they were different people. Soul was nearing 6'0 tall while Maka was close behind at around 5'8. Their bodies had gone through other transformations as well, not just height wise. While Maka had gotten some curves and filled out more, Soul's shoulders had broadened, and his body had become leaner and more muscular. His spiky white hair stayed nearly identical to when they first met, save for the occasional black headband worn to tame the wild mane from time to time. While a beard had attempted to grow, the weapon kept it shaved down as, quote; 'Stubble isn't cool'_

"_Soul, you're acting a little weird today. Is everything alright?" Those large green eyes he adored so much locked with his own, searching for any concealed emotions. She always knew right away when something was bothering him, her soul perception strong as ever._

_Both weapon and meister had grown even closer, not just physically, after battling the Kishin; their soul wavelengths had perfectly fused like they were made for one another. Their thoughts and feelings could easily be spread through soul connection alone, sometimes accidentally. Maka mostly kept a tight lock on hers most of the time and not even Soul could break through it. On the occasion that she slipped and let down her guard though…_

"_Apart from you being stubborn as usual, Maka, I'm fine so don't worry. Being controlled by the black blood is just so __**uncool**__." Soul couldn't help the goofy grin that adorned his face as his partner slipped into a relaxed smile. The demon felt the madness boil inside, and he could barely contain himself with glee. With two crooked fingers, he snapped, triggering the black blood's madness._

_With a single fluid movement, she spun away from him, arm outstretched before he gently pulled her back. The distance between them closed and a spark shot between them as their skin touched. Maka wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her forehead against his as they swayed. It was moments like this that made it nearly impossible to resist her touch and without hesitation, Soul wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight against him as red and green eyes locked._

Jab. Jab. Jab. Foot sweep. Jab. Jab. Swing. Maka charged the master ninja without break, her attacks stronger and faster than before with the black blood activated. The man seemed thoroughly surprised when she came face-to-face with him in a matter of seconds, scythe already slicing through the air. He ducked down at the last possible second, barely avoiding the scythes scorching touch mere centimeters from his nose. There was no time to strike back, it was his turn to be on the defensive side. He had heard a little information regarding black blood from Russian and Death City newspaper snippets but seeing it up close and personal was an entirely different experience.

Even with his decades of training and dedication to the ninja arts, he was struggling to avoid being sliced in half. An opportunity opened and he flung his kunai as hard as he could towards the meister, hoping it would be enough of a distraction for him to get back on the offensive side. The kunai hit their target; one sunk into Maka's upper abdomen while the other punctured the center of her chest.

The meister looked down at the weapons half embedded within her before snapping her narrowed gaze back to her attacker. Thick ooze boiled out around her wounds as the Black Blood pushed the kunai blades out before sewing the wounds shut in moments.

"I must say, Ms. Albarn, that is a very impressive skill to possess. But," the ninja straightened himself up, his hand reaching into a small pouch on his left hip. "There is a weakness to every secret weapon and unfortunately for you, I am well aware of what yours is." His hand whipped out of the bag and 5 small metal balls hurtled towards Maka. With his other hand, he quickly muttered a small jutsu before launching at the meister, arm drawn back as lightning engulfed his fist. The small metal balls exploded in her face, leaving a thick smoke clinging to her body.

"_FIGURE 6 HUNTER!"_

"_**It seems you've duped me, Ms. Albarn, well played. Damn anti-demon wavelength..." **__The imp jumped down from his plush chair and walked towards the back corner of the room, losing interest in the madness-free environment. Soul only sent him a cocky grin over his shoulder._

"_We've played your game long enough to know how to beat the madness. Doesn't hurt when you have the coolest partner either." Maka blushed furiously before smacking Soul on the arm, embarrassment and pride shining through her eyes._

"_I-Idiot, don't say such embarrassing things!"_

"_How is it embarrassing if it's true? Maka Albarn, coolest partner ever. Not as cool as me though." Maka pulled away from his embrace and started smacking him on the arms and chest, face burning bright red. Soul just laughed heartily, further irritating his meister and increasing the intensity of the hits._

"_Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot!"_

"_Oi, oi, fine, I'll stop." Soul caved before she could pull a 'Maka Chop' on him. He grabbed her wrists to stop the barrage. She didn't fight it as she looked up at him, eyes showing amusement, embarrassment and something else, something that Soul hadn't seen before. Maka gently pushed her hands forward until they were resting against his chest, biting her lower lip gently and looking away._

"_Maka…?" Soul released her wrists and delicately tilted her face up his hand. Light as a feather he brushed her bangs away from her eyes, locking gazes with his meister. "What's wrong?"_

_It felt like her heart was going to burst looking at his face; he was concerned, but it was in such a loving and tender way that the meister couldn't help herself. If she didn't do it now, she would chicken out and not have another chance to express her feelings. Placing her hands on either side of his face, she stood on her toes and placed a soft kiss against his cheek with tears in her eyes and flushed cheeks._

"_Thank you, Soul, for everything."_

He was tiring; the woman in front of him was a _monster_. They had been going non-stop for a good while now jumping from building to building and she had yet to slow down even a hair. Weapon supplies were running low and all that was left was his trusted katana passed down through generations of master ninjas. It appeared to be a normal sword, but only those who were blessed to be able to use it knew what other-worldly power it held within it. Using it meant there was a high chance it would be a critical if not _fatal_ blow depending on where it landed. It wasn't his intention to kill the meister, but desperate times called for desperate measures if he was going to make it out alive.

"I suggest you stop now if you wish to survive this battle! This could be a fatal blow if I am forced to use it!"

Maka either didn't hear the warning or didn't care as she swung the Figure 6 Hunter at the ninja, eyes ablaze with determination. As he slid the katana from his sheath, a massive explosion shook the earth, both of them faltering in their steps.

"_What the hell was that?_" Soul yelled out as another explosion triggered closer. One after another they went off, getting closer and closer to the fighting duo. Maka felt the familiar sensation streak across her mind and she skid to a halt, head snapping towards the center of the explosions.

"The Kishin…it's here."

* * *

**Man, this took like awhile to write. I kept changing ideas and I'm pretty happy with the way it is now. I'll start chapter two as soon as I can; I just started nights at my new job, and it's been rough adjusting to it. Thanks for reading! *I'll be going through the chapters again and updating anything I feel needs corrected. 3-6-2020***

***Credit to ElementJax on DeviantArt for the Soul and Maka scene inspiration!***


	2. A New Type of Kishin?

**Next chapter here we go!**

* * *

"You're telling me an ancient lineage of _master ninjas_ are hiding in the frozen mountains of Russia? Tell me you're joking," Liz gawked at the stack of papers handed to her by Kid. Patty had a copy too but was making a small army of giraffes with them instead. Kid was sitting on a tall backed throne centered in the Death Room, elbows resting on his knees, deep in thought.

"I wish that were the case, but unfortunately it isn't a joke. Maka and Soul are not too far from that area currently. Assuming their mission goes well, it may be wise to send them to investigate this. Black Star and Tsubaki are on missions as well." Kid explained before shifting his weight forward to a stand. "I would normally investigate this myself, but seeing as Father is gone…"

"We understand, Kid; I know what you're going through is tough. The students and citizens of Death City need you to take the reins and settle things down. Maybe then you'll be free to continue missions." Liz assured with a small smile.

Patty had amassed a large army of paper giraffes around her, a smile on her face as she observed her handiwork. It quickly turned devilish, and the weapon full body tackled the sea of defenseless origami. Kid felt his eye twitch as tiny animals bounced off his face as the massacre began.

"Agreed. For now, I'll help guide the DWMA students and faculty to fulfill their dreams and unleash their – _PATTY WILL YOU AT LEAST THROW THEM SYMMETRICALLY?! THEY'RE BOUNCING OFF MY HEAD IN RANDOM ORDER, I CAN'T TOLERATE IT!_"

Liz sighed and went back to reading the mission specs as Patty bombarded Kid with paper giraffes. It seemed lately that any requests coming in were sightings of pre-Kishins all over the world. Black Star was on one in Egypt, Soul and Maka were on another in Russia, Ox and Harvard were sent to Greenland. They were coming in tidal waves and the DWMA only had so many 2-Star and 3-Star meisters and weapons. Consideration had even gone into sending Professor Stein and Marie, but the duo had become a trio with their 3-year-old son, Hiroaki. After what had happened to Lord Death, Kid didn't have the heart to separate the parents from their child.

Spirit had willingly offered his services as Death Scythe to the new Death Lord, but Kid had politely declined, keeping him on a as-needed basis. Liz and Patty were more than enough for him, but the meister thanked him for the offer regardless. So, doing what he was infamous for, Spirit threw himself back into the lovely waiting arms of the Chupa Cabra ladies. Though according to Blair, he would often suddenly grow sullen, his eyes glassing over with no warning as he stared off into the distance.

"Patty, _give me those giraffes_!"

"Come and get 'em! Wheeeeee! _GIRAFFE CYCLONE_!"

Liz did her best to ignore the flurry of origami everywhere, a few bouncing harmlessly off her head in the process. Poor kid was buried beneath a mountain of the tiny things. A sentence within the mission spec caught her eye and she backtracked, pointing a delicately painted nail to the sentence.

"_Although currently unknown, possible connection between the pre-Kishin and clan of ninjas. People who have claimed to gained access in or around the clan base have suddenly turned up missing days after reporting their finds. No witnesses were able to verify who the missing persons were. Some citizens mentioned they were jealous of people who went to a mountain retreat near Mariy Chodra National Park. __**3-STAR MISSION HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. ADVANCED TEAMS ONLY.**_"

"Kid…did you read what this says? People have gone missing and nobody knows who they were. It's almost like they never existed." Biting her bottom lip, the weapon quickly verified what city the disappearances happened in. "Something about a resort up in the mountains of a national park. Maybe we should send backup to Soul and Maka – wow," Liz finally looked up to see a 20-foot high pile of giraffes burying Kid, Patty dancing around the mountain praising its mightiness. "That's…pretty impressive, Patty. Just make sure you leave an air pocket for Kid."

"Ooooooooh, I forgot. Whoops!" Patty giggled before pile-driving into the center of the mass. She emerged a minute later with an unconscious Reaper, holding him up by his collar. "Found him!"

As much as she loved her sister, there were times she seemed to forget the human necessity of breathing. Still, Liz mused as Patty violently shook her meister around, origami flinging left and right, she wouldn't have it any other way. Her troubled thoughts subsided to the back of her mind while she worked on reviving her meister, the papers forgotten for the time being.

* * *

"Man, that was a lame battle. An old man turning into a Kishin and killing innocent people because someone stole the last of his favorite candy? Sheesh, he could've just gotten another one!" Black Star complained as he and Tsubaki made their way through Cairo, the city swarming with life in sweltering heat. Vendor stalls lined nearly every path, vendors calling out to locals and tourists alike. From fine silks to ancient medicinal treatments, if you needed it, they had it.

"Think of it this way, Black Star, we stopped another Kishin egg from fully hatching so that's a plus." Tsubaki reminded him lightly. "Besides, I'm sure there will be someone who is willing to challenge you back at DWMA. Oh, we should probably check in with Kid soon and update him."

Quickly scanning the area, the ninja weapons eyes landed on a shop selling various mirrors. She slipped through the crowds with ease and arrived at the stall. Dozens of intricate and shining hand mirrors lined the table, precious embedded gems reflecting brightly in the Egyptian sun. A local vendor with a splotchy mustache and beard snapped his eyes to his next target as she approached his stall, a devious dance in his dark eyes.

"Ahh, miss, you have good taste! These are the finest ancient artifacts around! This one here," The middle-aged man with missing teeth grabbed a slim golden mirror embroidered with intricate small gems. "Was rumored to have been used by Cleopatra herself! Very valuable item for such a good price. What do you say? Or –" He cut off Tsubaki's polite decline and grabbed a rounder mirror, large dull gems lining the edges. "Something with a little more bling to suit such a bright shining star as yourself?"

Tsubaki held back a gag as the man winked, his toothless grin widening as he slowly eyed her over. Before he could even reach the swell of her chest, an arm shot out and grabbed him by the neck.

"I suggest you keep your eyes on her face and _nowhere else_. Am I clear?" Black Star leaned in close and hissed to the man. His eyes flashed quickly to the Star Clan symbol then reverted back just as fast. The vendor quickly nodded before shoving the mirror in his hands to Tsubaki and ducked down below his stall in fear. Tsubaki sighed heavily but accepted the mirror before moving on. Walking side by side, the two remained silent for a few minutes, the loud chatter of the crowds washing over them.

"Black Star, you didn't have to go that far! You about gave him a heart attack!"

"Keh! He was about to start ogling at your boobs, how else was I going to stop him?" Black Star huffed as he linked his hands behind his head. "Besides, only I, the Great Black Star, get to look at those pup—!" A fist collided with the ninja's face, sending him sprawling to the ground. Tsubaki stood above him with a cold silent fury in her eyes, fists clenched tight. The meister looked up at her with surprise, his fingertips grazing his now swelling cheek.

"I am _not_ a prize to be ogled at! Partner or not, you _will _respect my body and privacy! When will you grow up, Black Star? I suggest you go cool off for awhile since I'm going to check in with Lord Death." With one last death glare, the weapon vanished into the crowd, leaving a stunned Black Star on the ground. People whispered and a few took pictures of the ninja sitting sprawled on the dirt.

With a _tch_, the ninja leapt to his feet and crossed his arms over his chest. With a glare of his own, the people began to scramble away from him. Tsubaki had become more sensitive to her body as the years went on. She hadn't changed much physically apart from growing another inch or two, but her back bone grew tougher and she took little to no nonsense to harassing comments or looks. Black Star lowered his face to conceal it within his collar, an annoyed scowl on his face. He had screwed up. _Again_.

"Damn woman, I was just defending you…not like I care about you or anything."

Tsubaki quickly dispersed from the crowds, finding a secluded alleyway to use the mirror. Ensuring Black Star was still a ways off, she breathed against the mirror and began writing.

"42-42-564, whenever you want to knock on Death's door." The mirror rippled as the signal connected. It rang a few times before a familiar face appeared on the glass.

"Oh, hey Tsubaki. How's the mission going?" Liz asked as she connected the line. "Kid is a little…preoccupied by Patty right now."

"Hi Liz, just wanted to Lord Death know that the mission was a success! We acquired the pre-Kishin soul and are returning to base." Tsubaki felt the smile on her face falter slightly when she saw Patty wrestling with Kid in a pile of origami. Liz noticed the look but just shrugged.

"Oh, nice. Good job on the mission. Oi, Kid, Black Star and Tsubaki are finished and headed back now." Liz called to the pinned meister; a delicate brow arched as Patty twisted him like a pretzel.

"Gyahahaha, squirm little man, squuuuuuirm!" Patty cackled as Kid called uncle, pounding his fist into the floor with tears in his eyes as his foot was nearly touching the back of his head. Complying, the younger Thompson sister released him before getting distracted by something else, bounding off to play with it.

"Sorry about that, Tsubaki, how can I help?" Kid coughed as he quickly dusted off his suit. He was still fairly new to being Lord Death, just shy of three years, but he had caught on rather fast and had proved to be an excellent leader to both students and citizens of Death City.

"We're finished with our mission now; a Kishin soul was acquired easily."

"Ah, good work. Where is Black Star? Usually he doesn't leave your side anymore," Kid mused as he looked at Tsubaki's surroundings, looking for the infamous blue haired ninja. He didn't miss the frustrated sigh that released from the weapon but apparently failed to see the tinge of pink on the weapons cheeks.

"He's somewhere cooling off. A vendor was ogling me, and he snapped and grabbed him by the throat and threatened him." She could feel a headache coming on and rubbed her temple with two fingers. "And he said something inappropriate to me and I…punched him." Feeling the regret and embarrassment heat up her skin, Tsubaki covered her face with her hands.

Liz let out a low impressed whistle, hands on her hips as she gave a cheeky grin.

"He probably deserved it anyways. We all may have grown up more, but Black Star still let's stupid shit fall out of his mouth every now and then. Besides," The weapon shoved Kid out of the way before whispering into the mirror. "Pretty sure he's got a major crush on you! I'm sure he was just defending you from harassment…and then doing it himself, of course, but that's because he's an idiot and doesn't know how to express his feelings very well! I think if you gave him the chance, he'd be a gentleman and treat you right! He's not that young boy anymore, Tsubaki, he's become quite the man! Slightly taller than you, more muscles, leaner body…"

Tsubaki was as red as a tomato at this point, steam practically radiating from the top of her head. Her mouth failed to produce full sentences and instead let out a garbled string of words. Patty laughed in the background while Liz stood there with a shit-eating grin; her work was done. Kid shoved the elder Thompson sister out of the way and cleared his throat; back to business.

"There is one thing I would like to ask you, Tsubaki. I'm sure you can relay this to Black Star when you see him again. Do you know anything about a cult of master ninjas located in Russia? Maka and Soul are near that area doing a mission and we've gotten strange reports of people going missing without a trace. Not even the villagers could describe who had gone missing. It seems like something is going over there, but I can't leave my post to check."

"Master ninja cult?" Tsubaki placed a finger against her lips in thought. "Hmmm, it does sound familiar but I'm not too sure. Black Star would possibly know but I'm not sure where he is right now. I'll be sure to remember it though."

"Very well, we'll see you here once you get back. Kid out."

The connection closed and Tsubaki let out a strained breath. Liz could see right through her tough act, exposing her deep feelings for her meister. It was only natural, of course, seeing as they had been partners since she arrived at DWMA all those years ago. Time had flown so fast that it seemed like yesterday she was meeting a smaller, more egotistical version of Black Star standing and proclaiming his greatness atop of the three massive spikes adorning the school. She let her memories wash over her, closing her eyes and leaning against the wall. Little did she know how much he would change her life from the instance they met.

Her soul twitched slightly, and she knew it was him before he even landed silently in front of her. Cracking an eye open, she noticed he looked sheepish, maybe even a little nervous as he kept one of his hands behind his back, the other rubbing the back of his head.

"Something wrong, Black Star? It's not like you to be ner—" A bouquet of flowers was roughly shoved into her arms, fully startling the weapon from her youthful memories. Beautiful vibrant blue Egyptian lotus popped brightly against the dull brown of the dirt and houses. Bright purple Chrysanthemums adorned the empty spaces between the lotus flowers with smaller bunches of acacia and jasmine delicately tying everything together.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier, I shouldn't have said something like that." Black Star apologized, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "That vendor shouldn't have treated you that way, that's why I snapped. 'Course I say the same shit…"

Tsubaki felt her heart swell at the sincerity of his apology and approached him as he ranted on. Placing a hand against his shoulder, she leaned forward and rested her head against his, sharing her feelings through her glowing soul.

"Thank you, Black Star, it means a lot to me that you stood up for me. And I'm sorry I punched you, I let my emotions get the better of me." It was Black Star's turn to become colored and he quickly ducked his face into his shirt collar once more to hide. Tsubaki thought it was the cutest thing, watching him become shy.

"S'okay, I deserved it anyways. But if you're done here, let's get going. I may or may not have started a street fight to cool off…"

"I'm not surprised, there's no keeping you down, is there?" Tsubaki giggled as she reached for his hand, pulling him back through the alley and towards the chaos that was (intentionally) raging on. "I suppose if you were to join in, I would wait here for you."

Black Star gave her his flashy smile and leaned in to press his lips briefly against her temple before launching himself into the fray. Men were flying left and right as he challenged anyone and everyone he could reach, gloating about his godliness.

Tsubaki felt her face heat up like a furnace and quickly went to find somewhere to sit before she fainted from all the excitement. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to tell him how she felt…

* * *

"_What the hell is that thing? It looks like a bear mixed with a giant burly lumberjack._" Soul blurted out as the pre-Kishin burst through an explosion, razor sharp claws swinging down on the fighting duo.

The creature was nearly 10-foot-tall, easily surpassing 400 pounds with its heavy body. Snow white fur covered nearly every inch on the beast, easily making it seem like a bear save for the fact that it was very lanky; no doubt there were massive muscles just beneath the fur cover. Two-foot long claws protruded from each massive paw, the ends dangerously pointed tips; it had similar claws on its feet though not nearly as long, but still nonetheless deadly. Its face was the most disturbing part of the whole ensemble; it looked to be a mix between numerous human faces and various animal body heads, constantly shifting and morphing faces. Razor sharp fangs jutted out from its long snout in all directions, each one at least 6 inches long and covered in putrid red saliva; there had to be at least a dozen of them covering its upper and lower jaws.

"Is that…it looks like it also collected the souls of animals along with humans…" Maka breathed out, her eyes wide as her brain tried to process the bizarre creature launching itself at her with fury. Fear began to grip at her heart, the terrifying pre-Kishin like something out of a nightmare.

_"Maka, don't just stand there and gawk, block damnit_!" Soul snapped out, pulling his meister back to the real world just in time.

Maka grounded her stance and swung the scythe around, blade clashing against nails, the grating sound resonating for miles. It didn't take long for the meister to realize the creature was stronger than her and with a mighty roar, she was thrown from the roof of the house down to the streets below. The impact was softened, but the compressed snow did some mild damage; possibly broken ribs and a bruised shoulder were just the start.

"_Maka, you alright?_" Soul called out as his meister let out a wheezing cough, the wind knocked completely from her.

With a strained grunt she rose, using Soul as a support until she gathered her bearings. Her head swam and she closed her eyes to steady her vision, taking as deep a breath as she could to calm it. If she could get the black blood to stitch her back together just long enough to end this fight, they could win. But had they already reached their limit?

"That…_hurt_." Maka grunted as she placed a hand over her tender ribs, wincing with every move. "That thing is a lot stronger than us…what do you think, Soul?"

"_The best option would be to lure it out of the village and try to take it down in an open area. I don't know how much longer we can strain the black blood before it starts to draw me down into the madness; maybe ten minutes max. Pretty sure you got some broken ribs there and it won't be easy to fight with them that way without the little red bastard's assistance. Our ninja friend there used up most of its time limit_, "

Said ninja was currently dodging blows from the enormous beast, using the snow to his advantage as he kicked out one leg from beneath the pre-Kishin, the slick roof sending it crashing to the ground. He made it look effortless, almost like he could predict its movements…

"Ten minutes? I only need three," Maka smirked as she whirled the scythe around her, stopping it in a ready position over her shoulder. With a hiss of pain, the meister readied herself for the rushing heat of the Black Blood's healing abilities.

The creature let out another enormous roar. The power of it caused the buildings to shake, some of the weaker ones crumbling to the ground in massive heaps of debris and snow. Windows shattered from every frame in the area, exploding outward with such great force that they became deadly weapons. Maka spun the scythe around to deflect them. The bigger shards shattered noisily against the metal shaft while some of the smaller ones managed to slip through and slice through the meisters clothing and exposed skin.

She winced as she felt them slicing through her flesh, the cold air stinging painfully as it hit the open wounds. The black blood was still pumping through her veins, albeit at a slower rate due to the high drainage of it earlier. The wounds would still be there, but the pain stopped, and the blood clotted quickly. There would be time to worry about those later; they had a Kishin to hunt.

"Move out of the way before I slice you in half!"

The ninja shot his head up in time to see the meister wielding her transformed scythe, aiming directly for the Kishin crawling its way back up to the roof. With a curse he jumped backwards, not wanting to get wrapped up with the Death Scythe. He had researched everything about weapons and meisters years ago during his training with the monks, but seeing a Death Scythe in person was a completely different experience. The two worked in harmony together; the meister connecting her soul with her weapons then the weapon returning her soul's wavelength back to her with added power. Of course, this was on a whole new level with the scythe weapon having completed becoming a Death Scythe. Throw in the black blood and you have a nearly unbeatable team.

He watched in awe at how fast and powerful Maka Albarn was. Her effortless swings, jabs, and kicks made it look like child's play from his point of view. The Kishin swiped at her again but she was prepared for it and launched herself upwards over the beast, the scythe transforming once more. Rumors had been spread all over the world about the secret form passed down from her mother many years ago; the Kishin Hunter. She swung down with all her strength, catching the edge of the blade against the creature's neck, the blade sinking down several inches through its thick skin. But even he knew it wouldn't be that easy of a target to take down. The Kishin roared in anger before grabbing onto the scythe's blade and yanking it from its thick neck with little trouble. Its large teeth clamped down on the ginormous glowing scythe and began to crush it as if it were a gnat.

"_LET GO OF HIM YOU ASSHOLE BEAR!" _Maka screamed as she could feel the Kishin hunter form beginning to break, cracks running all along the scythe. Soul coughed up a glob of black blood, trails dripping from his lips and down his chin. It seemed that was the breaking point for the meister; her anger and determination radiated off of her body in massive waves.

Forgoing her grip on the shaft, Maka dropped down to the roof and pulled her arm back with a tight fist before launching herself at the beast, wild emotions fueling her attack.

"_Maka, it may have worked once but it won't work again, idiot!_" Soul screamed as he watched his meister run headfirst towards the creature.

Kishin Hunter was about to break, he could feel the electricity running across his skin like fire. Knowing it was risky to do so in the middle of a battle, Soul began to revert back to Death Scythe form and then onto human form. Luckily, Maka had distracted the Kishin quickly and it had released its jaws from the weapon. As soon as he was freed from the Kishins grip, he stood to go after Maka when it happened.

Time slowed as the two men watched Maka Albarn punch the Kishin in the center of its forehead, unleashing a battle cry as her fist connected with a _crack_. The sharp canines tore at the flesh of her hands and arms, but she failed to notice it. Some of the putrid and rotting saliva dripped onto her clothing, the material beginning to quickly melt away. For a moment nothing happened. The air was silent, not even the wind blowing. A pulse of energy rippled over them, vanishing as quickly as it had come. Soul eyed the scene for a moment before suddenly becoming very calm and relaxed, stuffing his hands into his pockets casually as he let out a held breath. He sent the ninja a smirk which grew into a toothy grin after receiving a startled look in return.

The ninja felt the hairs on the back of his neck and arms stand straight up, immense power running over his body. The wind seemed to pick up, surrounding all four of them, yet outside of that, the air remained still. Maka dropped back onto the roof before standing up straight, keeping her fist close to her upper body, waiting. The Kishin had only just moved to look at her when a crack appeared at the top of its head, quickly travelling down the length of its body. A bright flash of blue erupted from within the Kishin and it silently imploded into nothingness. Dozens of souls ascended into the sky, silently floating into the dark storm clouds. A red and black soul remained floating just in front of the meister with its tail flickering angrily at her.

"I'll be damned…apparently punching them really _does _work." Master ninja whispered as Soul walked over to his partner, placing a hand on her lower back as he checked in on her.

Maka turned her head and gave him a big smile before motioning to the hovering soul. He gave her a toothy grin before reaching out and grabbing the soul. The ninja felt like he was going to be sick when he watched the weapon open wide and chew on the soul, letting out a satisfied belch when it was gone.

"Now this is where I would turn my attention to you and fight you," Maka spoke calmly as she turned her emerald eyes to lock with snow white ones. "But I don't see a point to it at the moment. Just know that I have your soul wavelength memorized; meaning you can run, and you can hide, but I'll know exactly where to find you."

Those eyes nearly burned a hole through his soul; was she really this powerful, stronger than he ever had anticipated? Had her Soul Perception grown tremendously over the years since the battle with Asura? It took him a few seconds to snap out of it, but when he did, it was to let out a short laugh.

"Very well, I can tell by your eyes you speak the truth. I suppose this is where we part for the time being. I have everything I need to know." And with a smoke bomb he was gone.

"Was there even a point to fighting with him? All he did was pretty much waste time and then stand there and watch as we killed the Kishin." Soul growled out in frustration. Maka just let out a light laugh before grimacing in pain, torn and dirtied glove holding her ribs tenderly.

"He was testing us…seeing if we were strong enough to be useful for whatever purpose his leader ordered. Pretty standard bad guy protocol."

"So_ uncool_…"

* * *

"42-42-564, whenever you want to knock on Death's door." Soul muttered to himself as he wrote the familiar number on the floor to ceiling mirror in the hotel's shower room.

Both had returned back to the hotel with good news, much to the villagers' relief, and requested showers to get cleaned up. The receptionist offered to assist Maka with the scrubbing, and the meister silently agreed, her face tinting red from embarrassment. Soul watched as the young woman whisked his meister away, feeling the uneasiness in her soul as he left her sight. He let out a loud sigh. What had happened in the Black Room hadn't left his mind for hours. The way she acted was…well, like a woman in love would be the best way to put. He knew for sure he loved her, he had for a few years now, but was she ready and willing to love and accept him? More than just partners?

"Ah, Soul, how was the mission?" Kid appeared in the mirror, looking sleep-deprived and disheveled. Soul could see Liz wave from the background, a mountain of papers stacked on the table she was set at. Patty was nowhere to be seen.

"Got the Kishin soul, but…"

"But what? What happened, Soul?" Lord Death was suddenly alert and very awake, golden eyes searching his best friends face for answers. Soul let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his damp locks.

"That Kishin…it wasn't normal, Kid. It looked like a combination of both human and animal souls. Beat the shit out of Maka; she's got possible broken ribs and a banged-up shoulder, cuts all over. She'll be alright, though. Is that even possible for someone or some_thing _to take animal souls and use them to become a Kishin?"

Kid was silent for a few minutes, his hand cupping against his chin as he thought.

"I may have read at some point that while it is _possible_, it's very rare; only one or two confirmed cases of it happening but that was maybe a couple of hundred years ago."

"So now we get to deal with animal Kishin hybrids that are stronger than the human version? Great," Soul groaned as he slid a damp hand down his face, the stress evident. "Would explain why we got the shit beat out of us so easily. That thing threw Maka aside like she was nothing more than a fly. It even clamped down on Kishin Hunter and nearly broke it."

"It nearly broke Kishin Hunter? Has that ever happened before?" Even through the mirror, Soul could tell Kid looked very tense.

"The only times Kishin Hunter has been broken was when we fought Stein during those extracurricular classes and during the battle with Asura. This thing was breaking it with its _teeth_," Soul looked down at his hands, the memory still fresh in his mind. "Maka was reckless again; she released me to punch the damned thing in the face. Worked, but stupid idea nonetheless." His fists clenched tightly.

"Seems she's got a bad habit of doing that," Kid mused with a chuckle, some of the tension easing. "Listen, Soul, I was considering sending you on another mission roughly in that area, though a little more to the North. Something about a ninja clan hiding up near the mountains. We've got a copy of the mission that says there have been people vanishing after going to a retreat near there. I understand that since Maka is unfit to battle so soon after receiving injuries, we could postpone it until a later time."

"Funny you mention ninjas, Kid, because we ran into one claiming to be a master before the Kishin found us."

"W-wait are you serious? How did you…?" Kid stuttered, clearly surprised at the coincidence.

"Guess he was here to monitor us for some reason, and he attacked us, so we fought back. Used quite a bit of the black blood and barely managed to scratch him. When he fought the Kishin, it was like he knew how it would move…"

It didn't add up. How could that man know how to avoid the fast and unpredictable movements of the Kishin? There was more to the story than they knew…

Soul ended the call with Kid after an elderly man had entered the room and was proudly parading around showing off his… _assets_…Soul took that as his cue to leave with a disgusted shudder. Kid requested a follow-up with him after a few days once Maka was up and moving around more. A blast of cold air hit the weapon as he left the steaming shower room, a chill running up his spine. He could sense Maka was back in the room, and his body automatically made a beeline for it when he was stopped.

"You were the one to defeat the creature, no?" A middle-aged woman from behind the desk stood from her chair and walked around, her short heels clicking softly against the worn wood.

Her brown hair was streaked with silver, placed in a slightly messy bun at the back of her head. Her crisp work uniform was slightly tattered and dirty, a sign that fearing for her life was more important than laundry. Soft brown eyes stared at him with such gratitude and love that it made the weapon falter in his steps. The fine lines on her face had deepened, giving her the appearance of someone twice her age. Within seconds Soul found himself trapped in a tight hug, the woman sobbing against him quietly, shoulders shaking. Stunned, the weapon just stood for a while as the woman bawled into his shoulder, letting out all of the pent-up anger, grief, frustration and sensation of helplessness.

"You have avenged my husband and child, thank you, young man. They can rest in peace now, bless their souls." She pulled back and cupped his face, placing her lips briefly against either cheek, her eyes shining with tears. With one last hug, she pulled back and wiped at her face with the back of her hand. "Your partner, she is waiting for you in the room. I have food ready whenever you want it, _deti_. Please, have a good rest and thank you, again."

Maka drowsily opened her eyes at the sound of a door opening and closing, her mind still fuzzy. Pillows propped her up against the head of the bed, making it difficult to sleep comfortably. The mattress sank next to her and she rolled her head in that direction, a lazy smile on her face knowing who it was.

"How are you feeling, Maka?"

"Mmmmmm, good. They gave me somfthing for the pain. You should try it, Thoul, it'z relaxing…" The meister slurred as she tried to shake the drowsiness off, only succeeding in making the room spin faster.

Soul noticed and placed a hand on the top of her head, gently resting it back against the pillows. She gave a loopy smile before closing her eyes, letting out a happy sigh.

"You sure can't handle pain meds, can you?" Soul teased as she began wiggling her fingers around uncontrollably on top of the heavy wool blanket that practically swallowed her body. She cracked an eye open and stuck her tongue out at him before resuming her entertainment. This could be some good blackmail for the future…

"The nice drug man told me I had frac-fractured some… some…" Maka repeated, her brows furrowing in confusion as the word escaped her brain. "These things here, Soul, here, here, and here." She pointed to her ribs twice on the left and once on the right.

"Three ribs? Man, I can't take you anywhere without you punching Kishins around and getting injured. Not cool," Soul gave her a toothy grin as he lightly shook his head, moving his stare away from her and towards the wall.

Maka fully opened her eyes to look at him, the haze fading momentarily. She lifted her hand, which felt like a ton of bricks, and rested it on his. He instinctively grabbed it and held tight, red eyes darting to lock with her hazy green ones.

"I couldn't stand to see you hurt again, Soul; that night still haunts me a lot. I failed to protect you and I regret it every day. If I have to do stupid shit to protect you, I will. If I have to throw you down and face an enemy head-on to save you, I will. I'll gladly give my life in exchange for yours, Soul. Always, I promise." She still slurred slightly but the words came out strong.

Soul was speechless. Maka was always too proud to share her feelings out in the open like that, though she usually shared them with her actions instead, but nonetheless it caused butterflies in the weapons stomach, his heart filling with adoration. Shifting his body so he was facing her, he guided her hand to rest over his heart as he leaned forward, pressing his head against hers. He could feel her soul vibrate happily, syncing perfectly with his own as they shared an intimate moment.

"You're too cool for me, Maka, you know that, right?" Soul whispered after a few minutes of reveling in the pure bliss.

"Mhmm. Coolest partner ever, you shed?" Maka slurred as sleep threatened to drop her into the awaiting darkness. She didn't want to ruin the moment by falling asleep, that'd be so uncool.

"Coolest partner ever." Soul responded. He could tell she was trying to stay awake as long as she could, but sleep was quickly pulling her under.

Pulling away from her, Soul kept her hand briefly against his chest before removing it and gently setting it back on the bed at her side. She made an annoyed grunt and twitched her fingers at him to come back. She could be so demanding…

"Hold on, let's get you comfy first." What would she ever do without him?

Carefully slipping his hand beneath her head, the weapon used his other hand to remove some of the other pillows, making the angle more comfortable. Maka winced a bit at being shifted, but otherwise made no complaints. Once she gave a nod of approval, Soul let her down gently before pulling the blanket up to her shoulders. The meister squirmed a little before flopping her arms out from beneath the hot blanket.

"Hot…" The meister whined before relaxing into the soft pillows, her breathing evening out once more.

Soul chuckled to himself as he finished getting ready for bed. He quickly changed into an old pair of shirt and sweats, tossing his battle dirtied clothes on the floor. Exhaustion hit him like a brick wall and he finally resigned himself to the welcoming bed. Flopping gracefully face-first on top of the scratchy blanket, he felt his eyes droop as sleep began to drag him under. Something twitched against his hand and he reluctantly opened his eye to see Maka's finger reaching for him. Slipping his hand into hers, he intertwined their fingers together. With what energy he had left, he brought her fingers to his lips and pressed against them lightly.

"_I'll protect you always, Maka…I promise."_

* * *

**Holy. Freaking. Shit. I even got emotional writing some of these Soul X Maka scenes! The love between them…one of a kind. Black Star being less of an asshole? What's this world coming to? Thanks for reading!**

***Deti is like child, children, kids, etc.***


	3. A Frazzled Soul

**Cranking these out! I'm not super good at writing fighting scenes, I just get to the mushy stuff first, so bear with me on them. Onward, to Kishin hunting!**

* * *

A figure dashed through the white laden hills, darting effortlessly between the thick forest foliage. Winter had taken its toll on the vegetation as the trees bared no leaves, just the gnarled twisting spines of once luscious green branches now lying dormant and covered in thick piles of snow. A branch snapped and the figure immediately darted to the side, taking cover behind a large bare fir tree. With bated breath and a silent peek, they waited. A shuffling sound echoed loudly off of the bare trees, scattering the noise in every direction. Ears trained for such an occasion, the person closed their eyes and focused, taking in every sound of the forest. A bird in the distance, chirping softly. A fox stealthily hunting its prey beneath the layers of snow. Mice burrowing deeper underground, escaping the stealthy fox just above. Three deer shuffling through the deep snow to search for any foliage to devour.

Another shuffle and they pinpointed the sound. Throwing their eyes open, the person leapt silently into the tree, using the high vantage point to their advantage as they scanned the area. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the shuffling grew louder, getting closer to the tree they were currently waiting in. With a swift and silent wrist flick, a kunai slid into their palm, the black metal stark against the surrounding area. Lifting their throwing arm up by their shoulder, they waited for the moment to strike. Slowly, a figure emerged from behind a tree, white clothes nearly indistinguishable from the snow. Their movements were slow as they trudged along, using any tree to support them along the way.

Judging from the backpack, it could be assumed it was a traveler, perhaps having gotten lost in the endless white. White clouds filled the air as heavy breathing pumped from the travelers' mouth, the frigid temperatures taking a toll on their body. Lowering the weapon, narrowed eyes watched the person stumble, face-planting in the snow. They were motionless for minutes and most likely presumed dead. With a light jump they landed in the snow, inspecting the body for signs of life. It was faint, but there was indeed still a heartbeat, albeit growing weaker by the minute. Grabbing the traveler by the shoulder, the figure shoved them onto their back, eyes grazing over the snow-covered face. It appeared to be an elderly man, judging by the heavy facial lines and grey hair. It was his stupidity that would kill him, trekking into bad weather like this at his age.

Quick hands searched any and all pockets for supplies or valuables. A glint of light flashed by the elder's neck and with deft fingers, a chain was removed from his neck. Dangling from the bottom of the chain was a locket, in the shape of a crescent moon. There was a small latch connecting the sides together, but it had been broken long ago, barely hanging by a thin wire. With a bit of fumbling, it managed to snap open. Inside was a weathered photo of a couple on one side and a newer portrait of a small child, a girl. An inscription was written beneath it.

"_My light, my love, my life. Anya."_

A groan from the man caused the figure to leap back, taking cover within a tree mere feet away. So, he was still alive. Tough old bastard.

"I-I know some-someone is there, please, I ask f-for an e-ear." The man croaked as he coughed, the sound wet and hard. "A d-dying m-m-man's wish…"

The figure hidden in the tree watched with suspicious eyes, leery of the stranger. A part of him wanted to just leave and abandon the delirious old man, but another was curious about his dying words. There was still time before needing to return to base, a few more minutes wouldn't hurt. Besides, he might have something of value on his person.

"Speak your words, old man, though none may ever hear them." The figured spoke emotionlessly as they landed back next to the dying man.

The man let out a strained laugh, cracking his eyes open, glassy eyes staring at the clouded heavens with a small smile.

"The trees s-shall carry on m-my words," Another painful cough. "I-I know what you are, s-son, no n-need to be s-so guarded."

"Then you must know what happens once you discover who I am."

"H-happened to my y-younger brother, I am a-aware," The man was growing tired, his eyelids drooping. "But I w-will spare you the effort of k-killing me, n-ninja, for I am already a d-dead man. I w-wish for you to h-heed my warning…"

The old man shot forward with surprising speed and strength, grabbing the ninja by the collar as he dragged him close to the putrid rotting scent of death spewing from between his lips. Crazed black eyes locked with the ninja's own, his stare swirling the depths of Hell within them. His mouth opened to an unnatural size, sharp black rotting teeth lining nearly every inch of his mouth as he gave a crazed smile. Fear began to climb down the ninja's spine, paralyzing him in place. He tried to avert his eyes to no avail; those black eyes had placed a spell over him, sending pure terror coursing through his body.

"_**Those who meddle outside the laws of God shall face the wrath of the Reaper. There is no redemption for those who break the sacred law. You have been warned.**_**"**

Just as quickly as it had started, it ended. The old man's eyes rolled into the back of his head and his grip released as he fell into the snow with a soft _thud_. The ninja felt his collar where the stranger had just grabbed him, the spot feeling frozen. Either he had hallucinated, or the old man reverted back to human form as he died. A glimmer of light emitted from around the neck of the corpse and the ninja felt his heart skip a beat; it was the necklace he had torn off mere minutes ago still secured around the man's neck.

Abruptly he stood and fumbled backwards before taking off through the woods, leaving the corpse alone in the snow. As soon as the ninja was gone, the body began to dissolve into nothingness, leaving just a blackened spot covering the earth.

The words _**'The Reaper Shall Bring Judgement'**_ permanently scarred into the ground.

* * *

Kid paced back and forth anxiously in the Death Room; his arms crossed over his chest in concentration as his weapons watched on in boredom. Liz had been watching him pace for nearly an hour now, growing rather agitated with his repetitive behavior. Patty was snoring quietly next to her, the chair she was in was teetering dangerously on the back two legs, somehow never falling over.

"Kid, you're going to wear a hole in the floor at that rate," Liz said tersely as he picked up the pace, muttering under his breath quickly. "You need to calm down and think about this logically. I know you're worried about them, but Soul and Maka can take care of themselves; they've proven that more times than we can count."

Kid was growing anxious about the new looming threat in addition to the newly hybrid Kishin. It wasn't a coincidence that a ninja would suddenly appear where Soul and Maka were hunting a Kishin, nor that the ninja could easily dodge its attacks while Maka was severely injured. What was their connection? Were the master ninja's creating these Kishin? And for what purpose? This would be so much easier if he could _just leave –_

"Lord Death, sorry for the interruption."

Kid stopped his pacing and looked up to see Stein standing a mere few feet from him, his hands shoved roughly into his pockets.

"Ah, Professor Stein, what can I do for you?" Uncrossing his arms, the Reaper took a more relaxed pose as he moved to his chair. Gracefully dropping down into it, tired golden eyes met with calm green ones as Kid paid full attention to the meister.

"I looked into those 'Master Ninja's' at the library, but nothing really came out of it. There was a paragraph in one book that mentioned a possible previous association between them and a group of witches, but I'm afraid nothing more than that." Stein cranked the screw on his head a few times before pulling a cigarette from his pocket, slowly striking a match to light it. "I'm not an expert on ninjas, but we have a duo that are. I would suggest speaking with them about it once they return within the next few days."

"Thank you, Stein, I've already mentioned to Tsubaki and she said it sounded familiar but couldn't place it. She will ask Black Star as well." Kid rested his chin on intertwined fingers, mind racing as he searched for any hidden knowledge of the clan. "But what I don't understand is how easily Soul and Maka ran into one; it wasn't a coincidence that a ninja was there when the Kishin appeared. There's something going on between that clan and all these new hybrid-Kishin popping up everywhere, but I can't figure it out." Kid sighed heavily. _Why didn't any of it make sense?_

Stein stood there for a few moments, slowly inhaling the sweet nectar of cigarettes before releasing a cloud of smoke. He adjusted his glasses with his middle finger as he spoke.

"Don't stress yourself over this, Kid, everything will fall into place sooner or later. Has Soul told Maka yet?"

"No," Kid shook his head slowly. "If she knew, she'd rush out the door to find them and wipe everyone out." A small smirk adorned the Reapers face at the image of Maka wrecking mayhem on a bunch of ninjas.

"There's a reason she's the best meister at the academy; after her mother of course." Stein smiled with the cigarette between his teeth. "If anyone can take care of it, it's her. Soul will help keep her in line."

"I really hope you're right, Professor Stein, I really do…"

* * *

_She could feel herself floating in a haze of black mist, the dead silence nearly causing her to go mad. There was no way to tell how much time had passed, but it was enough for boredom to kick in. No matter how far she 'swam' it was the same thing; never ending silence and darkness. Maka huffed and curled into a ball, hugging her knees to her chest. Was she inside her soul again? Or was this the median between life and death?_

"_**You're not dead, dearie, just in a state of unconsciousness."**__ A familiar voice spoke up, her pigtails flying around as she turned to see. __**"Taken quite the beating, haven't you? You really should stop being so abusive to me," **__The little red demon feigned hurt, his gnarly fingers pressing against his heart._

"_Are you here to mock me or are you going to help me get out of this?" Maka huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the imp._

"_**Soul is right, quite the demanding one, aren't you?" **__He snickered as he effortlessly walked closer to the meister. __**"You've pushed my limit too far this time, which in turn does more harm than good to your body. You see, dearie, because you keep pushing the limits of the black blood, it accelerates the madness and causes you to be more easily drawn down into the depths. Now, don't panic," **__The imp reassured Maka at her startled expression. __**"It won't get you killed as long as you watch your limitations with the black blood. But if you continue to push the limits then you'll find yourself in a situation like Chrona; you'll lose the ability to stay sane and the black blood will absorb you as you lose control of yourself. Your anti-demon wavelength can only go so far if there's an extreme external source of madness around."**_

_Maka swallowed hard. Lose the ability to use black blood? They had been using it fine for years without many issues… It was practically a death sentence once the black blood lost its healing properties. And external madness...what would happen if an outside source of madness overtook the black blood's own madness?_

"_So, all I have to do is watch the limit? That shouldn't be too hard,"_

"_**Ah, you say that, but we both know that once it starts to take control, you'll feel the urge for more power each and every time. Even Soul knows his limit before the madness takes over."**_

_The meister sat in silence as she tried to wrap everything around her head. The imp crossed his leg over the other, acting as though he was sitting in a chair as he waited for her to respond._

"_I can't tell Soul about this…he'll make sure we never use it again." Maka concluded finally. "We've fought before without it and we can do it again."_

"_**And here I thought you were the smart one…" **__The demon was suddenly inches from her face, his red eyes boring dangerously into hers as he snarled. __**"How exactly do you plan to keep it from him? I am him; he is me. I am you; you are me. We are all connected together in body and soul. You can't keep your thoughts locked down every time you're around him; he'll find out sooner or later; before you die, or after you die. Your choice, Maka Albarn, choose wisely."**_

_The imp vanished, leaving Maka to float alone in the darkness once more. Her anger got the better of her and she screamed all of her frustrations into the void. By the time she was finished releasing her frustrations, her throat had become hoarse. She floated for what felt like eternity again, muttering angrily under her breath. A light flashed from her right and she abruptly turned to look. Something was coming at her fast. A flash of white; her heart skipped a beat as she recognized what it was…_

"_How did it get in here…?" Maka whispered to herself as she turned to try and float away, panic gripping her heart. It was like swimming through sludge as she kicked and pushed as hard as she could to get away._

_It hit her fast; a large clawed hand shot out and grabbed her by the neck. A strangled yell slipped through her lips as she stared wide-eyed at the creature._

_When they had fought it, Maka couldn't get a detailed look at the horrendous face but looking at it from such a close angle sent chills down her spine. Its face morphed rapidly, ranging from various animals and back to human, instantaneously. Tears slipped from her eyes as she stared; her body wanted to look away, escape from the horror, but her mind was frozen in place, too terrified to send any flight commands. The faces began to slow down, slowly ticking through them like a rolodex. With a final click it stopped. The face was familiar, __**way **__too familiar for comfort._

_Maka stared directly at her own face on the creature's head, its expression calm and collected._

"_**Scythe wielder, Maka Albarn. Meister to Death Scythe Soul 'Eater' Evans. Aged 17, nearing 18. Height 5'8. Weight 105 lbs. Eyes green. Hair sandy. Blood type O." **__It even sounded like her…_

_It stopped within inches of her own face, the creatures mouth opening wide to reveal dangerously sharp teeth dripping with acidic red saliva. Maka felt her stomach churn but could only struggle weakly as consciousness began to fade._

"_**You'll never be able to defeat a Kishin like me," **__It purred lowly in her voice. __**"For you may be the Reaper who slays those who have broken the sacred law, but I am the Kishin who devours those Reapers. I know everything about you; from what you eat for breakfast to every dream you have. As well as your deepest feelings for your weapon that you keep locked away because you're afraid of him not sharing the feelings back. You better give up, girl, or your life will be mine for eternity."**_

_Three long claws punctured her stomach and instantly blood spurted from her mouth. The darkness overcame her, and she fell into silence._

Maka shot straight up with a strangled scream, sweat drenching every inch of her body as she fought to breathe. The sudden movement caused pain to shoot up her abdomen and she doubled over as her muscles contracted tightly, wrapping her arms around her waist in attempt to ease the pain. Tears streamed down her face while her body spasmed violently from the sudden pain, causing her to fall from the bed to the floor. She curled into a ball on the cool floor, her mouth open in a silent scream. The door slammed open and footsteps raced across the floor, a flash of white moving into her blurred vision.

"Oi, Maka what's wrong? Take a deep breath,"

Soul had panicked the moment he heard the cry and felt the pain inside of his soul. He winced a bit at the level of pain radiating from her soul, its cries instinctively syncing with his soul wavelength. Maka's body was shaking as she tried to curl herself into a tighter ball on the floor, her nails digging into her back to anchor herself to reality. Cursing under his breath, the weapon quickly lifted her from the floor and pulled her into his lap, placing his hand on the back of her head.

"It's alright, I'm here, Maka, just breathe. It'll be okay," Rubbing circles on her back seemed to help somewhat as she loosened her constricting hold.

"S-Soul…" Maka gasped out in between sobs, her arms quickly wrapping around his neck. "I-I'm fine, just got up too fast." Came the muffled response from Soul's shoulder.

"Do you need more pain meds? You've been out nearly two days now; I haven't been able to wake you."

Two days… was that how long she was floating in the darkness? It felt longer than that. She could still feel the creature's claws around her neck, slicing through her stomach like thin air, and she shivered.

"N-no," Maka mumbled into Soul's neck, his musk washing over her calming her slightly.

Soul knew she was probably aware that her thoughts were connecting with his; the red demon warning her about the black blood and its limits, her hidden feelings for him, and then there was _that._ The hybrid Kishin had found its way into her mind, leaving a threatening warning with dire consequences should she continue to pursue it. He tightened his grip around her waist. No way in hell would it take his meister; he would die to protect her.

He grit his teeth angrily. He couldn't do anything except just hold her there, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words. Her body wasn't shaking nearly as bad as they sat there, the concept of time a foreign thought for the time being. Maka shifted back a little and Soul loosened his grip around her to look down at her.

"You alright now?"

Tears were still trailing down her cheeks, but she nodded.

"Thank you, Soul, I just…" Maka trailed off as she took a deep breath. "You probably saw it, didn't you? That _thing_ invading my mind, my body, my soul. I can still feel it—."

"It's not there anymore, so don't worry. 'Sides, we can take down that creepy Kishin no problem." Soul gave her a toothy grin and she giggled softly. "Cuz you got the coolest Death Scythe ever as your partner."

"What would I ever do without the coolest guy in the world?" Maka wiped her face with the backs of her hands, sniffling as she dried her tears.

"Probably be stuck with some loser who _hasn't_ defeated Kishins, got a cool chest scar, got a cool motorcycle, became a Death Scythe," Soul ticked off the list on his fingers, closing one eye and keeping the other on her. "Traveled the world kicking ass, hasn't defeated witches. Has a best friend who is the Shinigami. And has the coolest partner in the world. Hard to be cool like me. Should I keep going?"

"I think that's plenty enough, Soul." Maka laughed as he gave her another toothy grin, his white locks messy falling across his eyes.

With a gentle touch she pushed them back, revealing those devious red eyes she loved so much. His hair had gotten a little long again, white tendrils falling over his face. She wonders if he just hadn't had the time to put a headband on to tame them. His hand came up to encase the one resting against his face, red eyes searching green. Maka felt her heart nearly beating out of her chest.

There would be no more hiding their feelings, keeping them locked up deep within their souls, while putting on a facade on the outside. How long had she wanted this but been too terrified of rejection or being hurt? And there were the other girls clamoring to be his partner for so long, all flocking to him whenever he was at school. Usually Maka was roughly pushed aside by the clamoring teens, totally ignored. With a huff she would leave, leaving Soul to dig his way out of the horde of hormones while she went to class.

But now that they were here, alone, with her feelings finally out in the open, the meister felt like crying all over again. Her eyes slid closed on her own, her body instinctively leaning forward...

Maka was interrupted as the door flung open once more, startling the two apart. It was the older front desk attendant who hurried in, the one who had prepared their meals and changed her clothes while she was healing, wringing her hands in front of her.

"Oh, my sweet girl, are you alright? I heard you yell out and then he came sprinting in and I haven't heard anything since, I was so worried!" The woman blubbered as she crushed Maka in a bear hug. "You are so young, poor girl! Ah, my daughter… you resemble her…"

"Ah…I'm sorry to hear that…you can rest easy knowing no one else will suffer the way your child and many others did…" Maka winced against the woman's shoulder as her ribs were shifted, her eyes trailing back to Soul who was sprawled out on the floor.

He looked a little surprised but kept his face mainly neutral. Maka felt her heart drop into her stomach as he got up and hesitated before leaving the room, his right hand scratching the back of his head as he walked and his left shoved deep in his pocket, muttering something under his breath. He paused and shot her a quick look; it was confusion, mainly, but there was something else… a little regret?

She wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there, nearly being crushed by the larger woman, but her body felt numb. Was…everything just ruined?

The next few hours were a blur: the only sensation she remembered was scalding hot water cascading over her body, steam filling her vision as something moved roughly against her skin. Someone was speaking to her in a gentle voice, but Maka couldn't hear it. Her heart felt like it had stopped beating all together. Were things ruined between her and Soul? Why did he look like he regretted it?

"Dear, your ride is here, you should get going now." A soft voice drew the meister from her numbness and she turned hazy eyes to the woman. "I'm sorry for ruining your moment together, I was very concerned about you and was afraid something bad had happened. Forgive me for causing tension between you two. If he truly loves you like I can see he does, you'll have your perfect moment."

The woman, who Maka learned was name Nadia, looked at her with love though there were tears welling in her eyes. A twinge flitted across her heart and before she knew it, she was sobbing in the woman's arms. All the fear, anxiety, pent up emotions rushed out and she wailed into the warm shoulder. Nadia cried as well, holding the fragile girl in her arms, wanting to keep her safe and sound. The moment ended when Soul interrupted.

"Our ride's here, let's go." Soul nodded his head towards the door, his voice neutral as he grabbed their bags and walked into the frigid cold.

"Trust me, sweetheart, you'll know when you're ready. Take care and thank you." Nadia placed a soft kiss against Maka's forehead before releasing her and pushing her towards the door.

"T-thank you, Nadia. Take care." Maka turned and headed outside, resisting to look back.

They may have only known each other for a few days, but the woman seemed to care immensely for the meister. It reminded her of her mother…

The harsh wind smacked Maka in the face and she blinked back the sudden tears, the cold taking hold of her petite frame with a death grip. There was a local police force officer waiting on the two DWMA students to shuttle them back to the airport 30 minutes away in the next town over. Soul was currently securing down their suitcases, tightening the straps with a little more force than necessary on the trailer attached to the snowmobile. The two locked eyes for a moment, mixed feelings shooting between them. Maka broke first, her face heating up as she looked away, ashamed. If she hadn't been injured in the first place, they wouldn't be having such awkward tension. Her fist clenched tightly at her side as she willed the tears to stay put.

"If you two are ready, we must go; there is another storm building up and if we don't get out of here now, we'll be hit." The officer yelled over the wind with a thick accent.

"Let's go, Maka." Soul spoke barely above the wind, already moving towards the snowmobile without a second glance.

It was like he wanted nothing to do with her anymore…everything….everything was _her_ fault. She never should've released the lock on her thoughts. Never should've _believed that Soul loved her._ Maka sullenly shuffled her way to the vehicle, mind going numb as she swung her leg over and sat behind Soul. Her hands instinctively reached to wrap around his waist though this time they froze and slowly retracted to hold onto the handles on the side. If he noticed, he didn't say anything and just kept looking forward.

Maka kept her head down as they took off and her back slammed into the metal bars of the seat, but she ignored the throbbing pain as she clenched her jaw. Tears slipped down her face as they traversed through the fine white powder, the wind whipping viciously around them at the high rate of speed. Would he find her annoying and want to change partners? Was it because she was still too flat-chested? She had tried those new push-up bras from downtown Death City, though really all that did was make her feel like a walking billboard. The snowmobile slowed to a stop and the meister tiredly lifted her head to see they had arrived at the airport, sans snowstorm, in the time her mind was preoccupied.

"Oi, Maka, let's go—you alright?" Soul started but stopped when he noticed the fresh tracks down her cheeks, her glassy eyes unfocused. "What's wrong? Are you in pain again—"

"You must leave otherwise the pilot cannot take off in the strong winds." The officer yelled to the duo. "The storms in Russia are merciless. Please, board while I get your bags for you."

Soul turned his attention back to Maka who was already headed towards the small plane's steps, head drooped. He let out a frustrated sigh and wiped his hand down his face.

This was going to be long flight back.

* * *

**Y'all thought it was going to happen that fast? HA! NOPE! Soon, though my children, soooooon. Ish. Maybe. Haven't decided. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Attack on Shibusen!

**Dramatic ending last time…what will happen to the two? Even I'm not sure and I'm writing it lol Let's go! *This has been edited as of 2/18/2020 to match with the story further down the line.***

* * *

It was a silent walk down the long hallway as they headed towards the Death Room, the meister-weapon duo standing over a foot apart. Maka kept her face neutral as she walked with her hands clasped behind her back, her normal pigtails abandoned for a loose ponytail. It was highly unlike her to leave the infamous pigtails out, but the meister had been acting weird since they arrived back in Death City just barely a week ago. Barely leaving her room, refusing to eat, not even picking up her favorite book. Blair had to help her shower since Maka didn't have the energy to get up. Even when invited by the girls to go shopping, the meister slowly agreed and apparently walked slowly behind the rest of them, zoning out.

Soul glanced at his meister with a frown. Since that incident in Russia, she hadn't been herself. He tried to link to her soul, but it had been sealed off again. He couldn't help but feel like it was his fault; even though he had seen the conversation she and the imp had, heard her feelings, watched her eyes close as she started leaning in…

The door swung open as they neared, revealing the long line of Tori gates aligned perfectly straight into the Death Room. A tall figure was waiting just inside the door, leaning against the first gate with a serious expression.

"Yo, Black Star. What's with the serious look?" Soul bumped fists with the ninja, receiving only a head nod in return.

"It's about that ninja clan just north of where we were, isn't it?" Maka suddenly spoke up, startling the weapon slightly. "I can see it in your soul wavelength."

"Tsubaki told me on the flight back. She looked into it more and dug up old stories and rumors. Seems that clan is notorious for messing with powerful witches and creating monsters. They vanished off the map over 800 years ago for no reason. No one has heard of them since." Black Star filled them in as they walked through the gates. "Kid seems to think the two are connected with Asura's sealing and his defeat years ago. It's possible that since the madness was released all over the world years ago, that it signaled for them to start back up."

"Great, so more psycho people are being born and rampaging the world. And here I thought one Kishin was bad enough…" Soul muttered as he shoved his hands in his pockets, grimacing at nothing in particular.

"Those…_things_…Black Star, they weren't like _any_ pre-Kishin, they weren't like Asura; they were hybrids of animals _and _human souls…" Maka whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself, the memory still fresh. "The one we fought, when that ninja was there watching…I couldn't even keep up with its speed. It was breaking Kishin Hunter with its _teeth_. But when I punched it with my anti-demon wavelength, it exploded like Asura did…when it went after the ninja, it didn't land a single hit. He dodged it like he already knew how it fought…."

The two men shared a look of concern as Maka kept mumbling on and on about the hybrid Kishin, ignorant of the fact that she had continued walking away without either of them.

"Something happen to her?" Black Star asked quietly as they hung back for a bit.

"That Kishin somehow got into her mind and is screwing with her. I saw it through resonance, and it knew everything about her from her blood type all the way to what she dreams about. I don't have any way to help her out. She won't eat, has barely drank anything since we got back. Hell, Blair had to help her shower because she didn't have the motivation to get up. I'm worried about her." Soul watched his meister as she continued on, his heart aching.

"She'll bounce back, she always does. Just give her time to figure everything out. You know how she is," Black Star slapped a hand on the weapons shoulder. "Something else is bothering you, something that happened between you two. Spill."

"That noticeable, huh?" Soul rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down at the ground. "I heard her feelings for me through the resonance and when she woke up and started screaming…"

"Go ooooooooon…" Black Star urged, his full attention on his best friend.

"I calmed her down and she tried to…to kiss me…" Soul rushed the last part, his face tinting a light pink as he looked everywhere but the grinning idiot next to him.

"Whooooo, my man! I knew you had the hots for her, just never thought you'd go for it! How was it?"

"I…" Soul started but was cut-off by said woman they were talking about.

"Hurry up you two, I want to finish this and get back home." Maka called back to them without stopping or looking back, her shoulders squared.

"That answer your question, Black Star? Got interrupted and it's been awkward since. Let's go, I don't want her annoyed anymore than she already is."

Kid was standing over a table covered with papers, symmetrically organizing them into two separate neat sides. Liz had her glasses on and was reading over some of them when the trio entered the area.

"Oh, hey Maka, Soul. Welcome back," The demon weapon looked up and gave the two a smile. "How was Russia? I heard it's super cold up there during the winters."

"Frigid," Maka said quickly, impatient to small talk. "What have you found out about the ninja clan and the hybrid Kishins?"

Kid carefully set the papers down before turning to greet the duo as well.

"Maka, Soul, welcome back. How was the flight back? Are you feeling better?"

"Long. She's good, black blood healed her up in no time. What have you got for us, Kid?" Soul rushed out before Maka could answer. The meister gave him a strange look, her brow raised up.

"Well, not really much more than Black Star most likely told you. We've been searching some documents Tsubaki had sent in from her village regarding the ninja clan. So far it seems to be a connection between the ninjas and some rogue witches; or so the stories seem to tell." Kid raised a brow to the Death Scythe who curtly shook his head. "Anyways, that's all we know for now, though we've been looking through any reports of people suddenly going missing in that area. Seems in the last few years, more than a handful have vanished without a trace after returning with news of their discovery."

While Maka dived right in to help, Soul stood back. He was frustrated and tired to the point it was beginning to be easily noticed by other people. Black Star took notice first and dragged the weapon away from prying ears, keeping his fist wrapped around the collar of his shirt.

"Get your shit together, Eater, or so help me I'll beat it out of you. You're acting pathetic right now; so, what, you didn't get to kiss Maka and now you're upset. Get the fuck over it, it ain't the end of the world, is it?" Black Star hissed at the weapon; his eyes narrowed with anger. "You're acting like a pansy, it isn't _cool_, Soul."

Soul knocked Black Star's hand from his shirt, giving the ninja a deadly glare.

"It's not just _that_, asshole; like you know what it feels like to be helpless as your partner struggles. Not being able to comfort her, build her back up from the slump she's in. _I feel like the one who broke her in the first place_." Soul angrily whispered back, resisting the urge to punch his friend. "And there's nothing I can do to fix it without her getting mad at me or hating me. She's locked her feelings up again just as they were being opened for me. For a Death Scythe I'm pretty fucking weak and pathetic,"

Black Star just stood there silently, watching as his friend ruffled his hair in annoyance, looking to be anywhere but there. Over the years he had watched the pair grow closer, more so than any other Shibusen team there was, and not even a Kishin could tear them down to where they were now. The ninja just let out a laugh, earning a glare from the weapon.

"Let's go, I've got something that'll help you out. Oi, Kid, Maka," Black Star yelled to the chatting Shinigami and meister. "I'm kidnapping Soul for a few hours, don't wait up!"

Before Soul could splutter a response, he was quickly being dragged from the Death Room by the rambunctious ninja who was proclaiming how he was going to cure Soul of his 'uncool slump'. Maka made to reach out for her weapon but quickly diverted it to something else, covering her mistake. Kid raised a brow at the meister but chose to ignore it for more important matters.

A few hours passed with little result in progress. The only new information they had was one key witness who watched another villager suddenly act strange before walking towards the forest, unresponsive to anyone. Maka dropped the paper she was looking at to pinch the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were getting tired from staring at small print of the reports. Liz and Patti left to go prepare dinner and Kid was called away for something important, leaving the meister all alone in the Death Room. Stretching her arms high, she felt a satisfying pop and sighed. Soul hadn't been seen or heard from in hours since Black Star dragged him away to do Shinigami knows what.

Deciding to call it a day, Maka wrote a quick note for Kid and placed it on top of the papers, making sure it was as straight as possible. The walk through the school was quiet; all the students had left for the day or were participating in class activities. It almost seemed nostalgic walking through the familiar hallways. A tinier version of Maka walking with Soul, lecturing him about not doing his homework again. A smile appeared on her tired face as other memories popped into her mind, the visions playing out in front of her. Her choosing Soul as her partner, collecting their 99th soul, meeting Blair, Soul taking Chrona's attack for her, fighting Medusa, Soul becoming a Death Scythe after eating Arachne's soul, defeating Asura with Soul…

Maka's steps slowed to a stop. She hadn't realized how much a part of her life he had become over the years. Nearly everything was done with him by her side. The grocery shopping, missions, and on some occasions the bookstore with her. She held her hands out in front of her, staring blankly at her gloved palms. How did she function without him? How _could_ she function without him? He was her other half, completing her soul, mind, and body. So why was she being such an idiot and pushing him away over something neither could control at that moment? Maka felt like the worlds biggest idiot as she sniffled, covering her eyes with her arm.

"Look at what you've done now, Albarn, pushing Soul-senpai away like the cruel woman I know you are." A small voice spoke up, quickly drawing Maka back to focus.

It was that younger student, whose name she never learned, who stalked her and Soul, even tormenting her in the Sloth chapter of the Book of Eibon. There she was, standing just a few feet from her, hands on her hips as she stared mockingly at the meister. Tight red curls swaying on either side of her head as she cocked her head a little.

"Cruel? A little ironic coming from someone who continues to torture and harass me," Maka shot back at the girl. She was in no mood to deal with kind of stuff right now. She needed to get to Soul, to tell him everything, to apologize; to kiss him hard enough until they both ran out of breath.

"I'm doing nothing more than pointing out your obvious flaws as a meister and partner; nothing more, nothing less. Soul would be so much better with a partner like me." She pointed a delicate hand to her chest. "I would never abuse and harass him like you tend to do quite often. You just like to be bossy and demanding, taking charge of every situation because you think you know what's best. But what about all those times Soul had to intervene because you lost control and started getting reckless? Perhaps you'd like a reminder."

With a snap of her fingers, the hallway transformed into the snowy bridge in London. It was the battle of Free the werewolf and Black Star, Tsubaki, Maka, and Soul. The latter of the group were arguing about their souls not connecting due to each other's faults. Soul transformed and as Maka caught him, her hands began to burn so she dropped him. The battle continued on with the meister holding onto her weapon, his shaft badly burning her hands as she recklessly charged the immortal. At one point she tosses him aside and tackles the werewolf, both going over the edge of the bridge. By sheer luck Soul caught her by the ankle, preventing her from a certain icy death hundreds of feet below.

A snap of her fingers transformed the surroundings into Florence, Italy; Inside of the Santa Maria Novella Basilica. There she watched a younger version of herself trapped in the church with Chrona, her back to the door as he launched at her, Ragnarök swinging down fast. A flash of light and Soul had transformed back to human form, taking the hit for her. Blood flew everywhere, flying high into the air as delicate flesh was ripped open. Maka grit her teeth at the memory.

Another snap and they were outside of Shibusen, in the streets of Death City. A loud explosion rocked the air as Asura shot from beneath the ground, scattering debris everywhere as he ascended to the sky. Maka, the younger one, was struck in the head and lost consciousness, beginning to fall towards the ground. Soul yelling out as he transformed, using his body as a cushion behind hers. They slammed into the fruit cart conveniently placed in the perfect spot. Maka could hear Soul grunt as he tried to sit up, her younger self reaching towards the Kishin before falling into darkness.

This time it was the labyrinth of Medusa, when she had a maddened Stein under her control. Maka snapped and flew at the witch with the hatred of a thousand suns, swinging her scythe down with fury. Her recklessness nearly cost the life of Rachel; the little girl Medusa had taken over while she recovered from losing her original body. She refused to listen to Marie as well, blatantly disobeying an order from a teacher. Thanks to her recklessness, Chrona sacrificed himself to save Maka, nearly dying in the end.

Over and over the scenes switched, showing the dozens of events where the meister had lost control and had gotten herself or Soul seriously injured or hurt. Even Chrona was injured in some of the battles, thanks to Maka.

"Haven't you realized yet? You are the reason other people are getting injured to _save you_. You're not a good meister, you're a manipulative, sneaky, low-life, weak, insecure woman who uses others to protect yourself—."

"_**Enough**_." Maka snarled out as she closed the distance between the two, her mature form towering over the small girl. "I've had _enough_ of you nitpicking every single flaw I have; yes, I have put people in danger. Yes, I've been the reason Soul has been injured. Yes, I've lost control of myself more times than I can count. But you know what? I survived. Soul survived. All of the others have survived. I created a new Death Scythe, the _last_ Death Scythe, because I kept going. Because when I was weak, Soul was there to pick me up. When he got injured because of me, it killed me inside for the longest time. If things had turned out differently, I may not be here; Soul may not be here, nor the others. Fate may be sick, it may be twisted, but Shinigami above us all, it has led to those specific events becoming aligned; they were meant to happen because of the choices _I made_."

The girl stared up at her in shock, her mouth flapping open and closed as shock froze her brain. But the meister wasn't done just yet with her.

"And you know what? Screw it; _I'm in love with Soul 'Eater' Evans, my partner_. I have been for years, but I've been too terrified of getting hurt to do anything but lock the feelings down deep inside my soul. I know your obsession with him is cute and all, but he is _mine_; now and forever."

Her Soul Perception tingled and Maka took a step back in surprise. The girl in front of her was no longer frozen in fear; her soul was expanding at a sudden rate that pushed even Maka back a good ten feet.

"_**Yours forever, you say? Well, there won't be a forever if you're killed by a witch without your weapon!"**_ The girl cackled as she threw her arms out wide as her body began to transform with a swirl of power.

Maka took another step back, eyes wide as the young girl that was standing before her suddenly became a full-grown woman. Red tightly curled tendrils exploded into long wavy locks that trailed past her hips and nearly touched the tile flooring before twisting themselves into two thick braids. A tight black dress seemed to pool around the floor, the fabric seemingly moving under the florescent lights before shrinking to skin-tight stockings. Her body grew into that of a curvaceous woman with plump assets, her chest nearly overflowing from the top of the dress. A large black hat adorned the top of her blood red locks, the flaps curling upwards, giving it an almost eerie smile. Long black gloves exposed her inches long nails, making them seem even deadlier.

"Finally showing your true colors now, aren't we?" Maka breathed as she scanned the hallway for an escape.

After being in the school for years, Maka had learned every corridor in the building, even the notorious basement where even Marie got lost. From where she currently was, she could dodge right, and it would lead to a main section of the school further from the main entrance near the library. If she were to go left, it would take her towards the main office and eventually the front door. If she were to go backwards, it would lead to the dead end of the Death Room. The problem was there were probably still students in the building and there was no telling who could get wrapped up in the battle.

Taking a deep breath, Maka slowly exhaled as she released Soul perception over the entirety of the whole school. There were a handful of students left, though it seemed like they were preparing to leave for the evening. Stein was in his lab, Marie in the joining room next to the lab with Hiroaki. Kid was nowhere to be sensed, meaning Liz and Patty were most likely not in the building either. Tsubaki had left earlier to head home and prepare dinner for Black Star. Other than that, the building was mostly empty. Perfect.

"So, tell me; what's your purpose of disguising yourself as a student in at the DWMA? Surely not just to stalk Soul," Maka asked with a guarded tone. "Asura is gone, Medusa and Arachne are gone; why go through all this trouble for just one person?"

The witch laughed with a smirk on her dark red lips, maroon eyes dancing. "Very observant of you. Your power, Maka Albarn, is a threat to us witches. Myself especially considering I carry the blood of Arachne and Medusa within my body, both of whom _you_ have destroyed, along with the overflowing madness of Asura."

"How could you possibly carry the blood of both Medusa and Arachne? Unless you're another sibling they failed to mention," Maka spat out as she shifted her right foot back. She would make a run for the front door; a battle inside could cause it collapse and crush anyone inside. By then someone was sure to notice what was happening and rush to assist.

"Dear child," The witch cooed as she aimed her open palm to the meister. "I am Medusa's mother and Arachne's younger sister, the Witch Ametrine; Mother of the Coven… _and_ _destroyer of Soul Perception abled meisters._"

* * *

Black Star had dragged Soul through town, stopping at the Death Scythes' favorite shops. The record store, arcade, Death Café, and even to the town fountain to relax with some ice cream afterwards.

"You feeling better yet? Cuz if you aren't, I'll kick your ass until you do." Black Star asked before shoving his entire ice cream cone in his mouth, the end sticking out as he chewed.

"Yeah, thanks. Guess it was a cool idea after all," Soul gave the ninja a toothy grin before taking a bite out of his ice cream cone. "I should probably just sit down with Maka and talk to her about it after all. Weird taking love advice from someone like you."

"A GOD like me not knowing about love? My poor son, I have so much to teach you!" Black Star dramatically placed the back of his hand against his head as he spoke. "Even a GOD like me can snatch a woman with ease!" The ninja suddenly quieted down, surprising the weapon next to him. "Tsubaki has always been there for me, supporting me, even when I've been a complete asshole."

"Love her that much, do you?" Soul teased as he finished off his cone.

"Yeah…I can't imagine life without her, Soul. I'm one lucky asshole to receive such a Goddess like her." Black Star flushed and nervously scratched the back of his head. "Oh shit, I forgot she was making dinner tonight! I gotta go, Soul, let me know how it goes with Maka!" The ninja shot up and gave a quick two finger wave before leaping to the rooftops.

Soul shook his head at the ridiculous ninja before standing. With a quick stretch he strolled over to his motorcycle and swung his leg over. His pride and joy started with ease, roaring to life as he revved the engine. A group of Shibusen girls, first years it appeared, spotted him and began calling out to him. Before they could even take a step, he was off, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. The weapon grimaced in annoyance. The pack of hormones was worse now that he had become a Death Scythe, following him everywhere and pushing Maka out of the way when they were at school. That was the part that pissed him off; they just shoved her aside like she was nothing, like she didn't exist. Usually she just left with a huff, leaving Soul to deal with the horde. The last time it happened though, Maka looked defeated as she left with her arms hanging down by her sides. Once she was gone, Soul had let loose on the girls, chewing them out for being inconsiderate and mean.

Some of them got the message while others continued their pursuit, especially the red haired one. Though he rarely seemed to notice, Maka always did, sensing the girls soul immediately. The girl never approached directly, choosing to lurk in the shadows and spy on him constantly. He wondered how his partner never gave in and 'Maka Chopped' her on the head.

Soul wondered if Maka was back at the apartment yet. It had been at least three hours since Black Star dragged him around so surely, they were almost done or finished with the paperwork. Blair said she would be working late tonight so that just left the two alone in the apartment. It would give them a chance to talk things over without the nosy cat intervening. The bright orange motorcycle revved loudly as it sped up, headed towards its destination with renewed vigor.

* * *

Maka had chosen the right direction; she flung herself left just as a massive blast from Ametrine collapsed the ceiling over the right hallway. With a quick roll, the meister was on her feet again and sprinting down the hallway as fast as she could go. There would be casualties if she stayed inside the academy for much longer.

Luckily there weren't any students on this side of the building, so she didn't have to worry about that as she slid around a corner, her boots gliding across the laminate floors with ease. She could feel her approaching fast behind her. With a growl Maka zigzagged her way through the hallways, swinging around corners as tight and fast as she could to get an edge. An explosion went off behind her, propelling her body through the air with a powerful aftershock. She braced as she landed, hitting her shoulder hard against the floor before tumbling into a wall. The wind was knocked from her lungs as her back connected with the obstacle.

"You can run, sweet girl, but you won't get far. You're going against the most powerful witch there is alive. My child's and sister's powers, they weren't even 50 percent of what _I _can do. And that was combined," Ametrine fired another blast of magic, hitting just above the meisters head. Her maroon eyes seemed to swirl with darkness as she cornered the meister. "What can you do without your beloved Death Scythe to save you? You're nothing but a useless little girl right now."

"If you're anything like Arachne and Medusa," Maka coughed as she forced herself to her feet, bracing against the wall as she turned narrowed determined green eyes to the witch. "Then you'll be just as easy to defeat."

* * *

Kid was sitting down in the massive dining room at his estate, lost in thought. There was something not quite adding up and he couldn't for the life of him figure it out. Why would the witches be connected to a hidden clan of ninjas deep in the Russian mountains? If they were working together, why would they create hybrid Kishins? None of it was making sense and it was driving the Shinigami insane. He had been pulled aside from his research earlier to assist in a matter regarding a possible spy within the academy. He was handed an envelope with the suspected person written on it but was warned not to open it until he arrived back at his house to prevent wandering eyes from reading it.

Liz and Patti were messing around in the kitchen to prepare dinner, so it gave Kid the perfect opportunity to read the letter in peace. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the slightly creased letter. With a fingernail he sliced open the envelope and gingerly pulled out the letter from within. As he lifted it up, a picture floated to the tabletop, landing face up. Kid glanced down to study it and paused. Was it possible…? Inspecting the photo closer, he noticed some odd trinkets on the person. A snake necklace adorned their neck while one earring was a spider and the other was a scorpion….He tore his gaze from the picture to the folded letter in his hands. Within seconds it was open, his golden eyes quickly scanning the lines of information.

"Damnit! The resemblance, how did I not figure it out until now?" Kid cursed under his breath as he threw the letter down and shot up from his chair, racing into the kitchen as fast as he could. "Liz, Patti, we're leaving _now_!"

* * *

Soul rolled to a stop before killing the engine. It looked like no one was home yet; the only light on was the living room lamp. The weapon leaned forward on his bike, letting his head fall on to his outstretched arms. How was he supposed to straighten things out if she wasn't even home? Maybe he could stop by and ask Blair if she had seen or heard anything from the meister….

The bike had just started back up when the weapon noticed something shooting across the sky. To the untrained eye it appeared to be a small unmanned drone of sorts; Soul knew what it was all too well.

"Where is Kid going at this time of night…?" Red eyes followed the line of sight the Shinigami was heading towards and felt his heart skip a beat; he was headed back to the school, in a hurry no less. An explosion resounded through the air and thick black smoke began to rise from the roof of Shibusen. "Damnit….Maka!"

The tires squealed as Soul went full throttle down the cobblestone street towards Black Star's apartment. If something big was about to go down, they'd need backup. It took barely a minute to reach the ninja's apartment and soul slammed down on the brakes, creating an earsplitting scream. He didn't need to yell for the meister to come out; as soon as Soul stopped, the familiar blue hair was peeking out of the living room window.

"Soul? What's going on—?"

"Kid just took off towards the school, something's going on; there's been an explosion. Maka isn't home either," Soul shouted over the roar of his bike. "I'll meet you there, _go_!"

The ninja didn't need told twice as he turned his head into the apartment and yelled for Tsubaki. Soul didn't wait for the two as he revved the engine once more and spun the bike around before taking off.

"Damnit, Maka…._be safe until I get there_!"

* * *

**So much excitement. Just when you think they're going to make up and kiss, another surprise! Next chapter will be out soon! Thank you!**


	5. A Looming Threat

**I am on a roll! It'll slow down again due to work, but you shouldn't wait long!**

* * *

"Kid, what's going on? Why are we in such a hurry to the school?" Liz asked as they flew over Death City; most of its residents were enjoying their dinner around this time.

Kid had told them to immediately transform and rushed from the house, giving no explanation for the emergency. Thankfully they hadn't turned on the stove yet, saving them the worry of the house burning down or exploding while they were gone.

"There's a spy within Shibusen; a witch. I believe she's related to Arachne and Medusa. If it's anything like it was years ago, they'll be targeting Maka for her strong Soul Perception ability." Kid said as he forced himself faster; a perk of being a Shinigami was the lack of need for a skateboard. "And if it is like that, then Maka is without Soul right now and going against a witch who could be stronger than both Arachne and Medusa."

"Soul didn't come back yet? Is he still with Black Star then?" Liz asked anxiously.

"No, but I'm sure by now he's on his way to the school with Black Star. Hard to miss a Shinigami flying through the sky." Kid mused lightly before his facial expression slipped back to serious, his black Shinigami cloak flapping angrily in the wind.

This could be a major battle depending on the witches' strength. Even Arachne and Medusa were a tough battle, but someone possibly a lot stronger than the two combined spelled for a disaster; especially for a meister without her weapon on her.

"Kid, look!" Patti suddenly called out, causing the Shinigami to look down.

A massive plume of black smoke erupted from the roof of the school, rapidly darkening the surrounding sky. Fire began to lick at the building as Kid grit his teeth and armed the sibling Death Weapons in front of him, ready to launch himself through the school. A massive soul wavelength smacked full force into him, and he faltered briefly, eyes growing wide.

"Un-unbelievable…." He whispered in disbelief. "This soul wavelength….is _enormous_….nearly as large as Asura's was….no, it's still growing larger. Liz, Patti; prepare yourselves, this is going to get messy real fast." Kid growled as he landed on the ground outside of the main entrance.

"Kid! What's going on? Where's Maka?" A voice called out to the Shinigami.

"I've just arrived, Soul, but it seems to me she's battling a witch currently. A very powerful one, too." Kid called over his shoulder to Soul as he rushed to his side, panting. "I have reason to believe she's related to Arachne and Medusa."

"Wonder if she's the one in cahoots with that ninja clan in Russia." Black Star threw in as he landed silently beside Kid, Tsubaki in Shadow Star: Chain of Blackness form.

"Guess we'll find out soon enough. Here they come, get ready." Kid warned as he sensed Maka's soul moving rapidly towards them. He narrowed his eyes; she was moving too fast for it to be natural…

The front of the school suddenly exploded, shooting debris over the waiting meisters. A large red blur of an object flew from the middle of the explosion, heading straight up into the sky at a high rate of speed. As the dust and smoke cleared, it revealed a witch holding Maka by the throat, the meister scratching at her captors arms.

"MAKA!" Soul screamed as he transformed his right arm into a blade, red eyes blazing with anger as they narrowed at the enemy.

"Ah, Soul 'Eater' Evans, looking at me with such _passion_. Maka's told me _so_ much about you," The witch purred as she brushed a long lock from her face, giving the weapon a once over before turning her attention to the rest of the company, Maka squirming under the tight grip against her throat. "Oh, Shinigami, I didn't see you there; what a pleasure to meet you!"

"Let her go before I slice your arm off!" Black Star yelled out. "Damned witch, I'll kill you!"

"Liz, Patti; ready secondary form in case I need to switch to Soul." Kid growled as he readied his stance, preparing to release the Lines of Sanzu to their fullest extent if need be.

"_Death Cannon: Charged and ready!"_ Patti chirped from her weapon form.

"_Got it, Kid!" _Liz and Patti nodded to one another; if Kid needed a Death Scythe, it was about to become a serious battle.

"Soul, I want you to get Maka out of here as soon as she is cleared. She's most likely not in any condition to fight." Kid ordered his friend, eyes never leaving the levitating witch.

"Like _hell _I will; I'll kill her myself for hurting Maka." Soul clenched his jaw as he watched his meister beginning to tire, the lack of oxygen pulling her in and out of darkness.

Ametrine mocked a curtsy to Kid, a bemused smile on her lips. Kid tensed as he studied the witch. Her wavelength was immense, larger than Asura's was, and it nearly drowned his own with it. She was toying with them, Kid thought as he glanced over to Black Star; the ninja looked like he was about to use his Shadow Clone technique to grab Maka.

"You know who I am, but I have yet to make your acquaintance Witch…?"

"Oh, such a formal gentleman you are! Ahem," Ametrine cleared her throat. "Greetings Shinigami, my name is Ametrine, esteemed Mother of the Coven of Witches. Mother to Medusa and sister of Arachne, but I'm quite sure you've met them already." She waved a dismissive hand at the last part, clearly not bothered by their deaths.

"Witch Ametrine, I suggest you release my friend there lest you have a wish to be buried within Death City." Kid cut straight to the chase; his voice was frigid as he eyed her carefully. "You must be pretty brave to attack a high-ranking meister within the DWMA; but you've made the mistake of doing it under my watch."

"For now, this is nothing more than a social call. Oh, don't give me such a stink eye! No one was killed in our little…_talk_… though the poor girl refused to give up and she was roughed up a bit, she _did _insult me first just so you know, but she's alive…for now. I wouldn't dare start a war here, in a city where there are so many meisters and Death Scythes to come after me." Sugar dripped from every word that slipped past her lips, a hint of venom lying beneath as she pouted. She cast a nearly bored look at the fainted meister within her grip. "Besides, I've got bigger plans for her than just tossing her around a bit. But I suppose you'll find out about that once everything gets in motion."

"_GIVE HER BACK!_"

Black Star snarled as he shot towards the witch, shooting his Shadow Chain towards her hand. It connected and he pulled hard; the witch cocked an eyebrow before tossing the meister and effortlessly sending a blast of her soul wavelength through the chain and into his body. The ninja slammed through the walls of Shibusen with a thundering crash.

Soul sprinted forward to catch Maka, leaping to connect with her mid-air as they both went crashing into the ground. He could feel parts of his arms and back tearing open through his leather jacket as he slid across the concrete. They slid to a stop nearly twenty feet away, the battle now raging on in front of them. With a grunt Soul sat up, Maka clutched tightly against his chest as he tried to get his bearings. Black Star launched towards the witch, Tsubaki transformed into Leaf of the Moonlit Night while Kid readied his Death Cannon to fire.

"Liz, Patti, let's go!" Kid yelled as the weapons began to charge into the heaviest blast version of the Death Cannon. "Soul, get out her out of here!"

"Damnit! Don't die!" Soul yelled out as he tightened Maka against his chest and made to run down towards the stairs before stopping. "Give her something from me, will ya?"

Kid smirked at the request but nodded nonetheless, turning his attention back to the battle. As Soul ran down the stairs, he could hear the battle intensifying, the sounds off a cannon going off. He put all of his faith in them to take down the witch, the one who badly hurt his partner. Just from glancing at her, Soul couldn't tell if they were small wounds or not beneath the thick layer of blood. Her normally pristine white and blue school uniform was torn and tattered, leaving mere scraps to cover her body.

'_Damnit, I should've just stayed with her. She wouldn't be injured right now if I had.'_ The weapon stumbled as he felt the ground shake, nearly throwing him from the massive set of stairs.

His bike was waiting for him at the bottom, still running from when he arrived in a panic. With ease, he straddled Maka on the front of the seat, keeping one arm around her as he cautiously swung his leg over to sit behind her. He could feel the blood soaking through his white shirt as he held her still body against his. Carefully, with one arm around her, he slipped off his beat-up leather jacket and wrapped it around her as best he could to cover her up.

Another explosion rocked the city and Soul looked back in time to see the witch shooting higher into the sky, her red locks wrapped protectively around her body as Black Star barraged her with attacks. It looked like she was just on the defensive; if she was as powerful as she seemed to be, then she could've crushed both Kid and Black Star with ease by now.

"Soul! What's going on?" A voice pulled his gaze away from the witch and he turned to see Spirit rushing over to him. The Death Scythe's jacket was wrinkled, and his tie was loose, indicating he was off having fun at Chupa Cabra's.

"There was a witch undercover in the school, and she targeted Maka. Kid and Black Star are fighting her now," Soul quickly filled him in, his grip on Maka tightening as the Death Scythe moved his gaze to his daughter. "Go back up Kid, I've got to get Maka urgent medical attention."

Spirit puffed up and looked like he was about to retort when Soul kicked the bike off, peeling out of there as fast as he could. The glare hitting the back of the weapons head could've burned a hole through it, but Soul would deal with verbal abuse later. If he could get to Sid and Nygus' house, they would be able to stitch Maka up before she lost too much blood. But then again, if they had heard the explosion, then they were bound to be headed towards the school. For now, it would be safer to take her back to the apartment.

It took him less than three minutes to get home at the speed he was racing through town at. Some people were yelling at him as he swerved dangerously around tight corners, nearly clipping a few pedestrians. None of that mattered to him, not when his meister was bleeding out and still unconscious. The tires screeched once more as he slammed down on the brakes, the back of the bike lifting at nearly a 45-degree angle. It landed with a hard _thud_, jerking Soul back a bit. Just as he was getting off, a large shadow flew overhead and a _pop_ sounded moments later as Blair landed with her cat reflexes next to Soul.

"Soul, what's going on? There was an explo—." Blair turned her large cat eyes to the meister lying motionless in his arms. "Maka! Does this have to do with that large explosion a few minutes ago?"

"Good timing, I'll need you to help clean her off in the shower. Kid and Black Star are handling a witch at the school. I'll fill you in more once we take care of Maka."

"Right!"

* * *

"You children _really_ don't learn, do you?" Ametrine drawled as she effortlessly blocked every attack that was thrown at her. "I'm about to draw a sweat this is so hard."

Black Star struck as fast and hard as he could, aiming for every weak point all over her body. Tsubaki had even transformed into Shadow Star Zeroth Form: Masamune but the witch was still untouched.

"We'll keep going until we drop dead or you're defeated; from my perspective, it'll be the latter of the two options." Kid shot back as he provided ground support for Black Star. "I'm afraid you don't get to come into my city, my school, attack _my friend_, and expect to just walk away? You've pissed off the wrong Shinigami."

Ametrine let out a chuckle as she lifted her palm outwards as Black Star neared. A condensed beam shot from her hand towards the ninja, a lethal blow if it landed. With a split-second margin of error, he dodged it before flashing behind her and swinging down his katana full force. Locks of fire red hair shot up and knocked him away, his body slamming into another wall of the school. Kid felt the familiar sensation of the Sanzu lines beginning to release; the wind began picking up, swirling violently around the area as it turned into a twister.

"Play time is over, little boys, time to go to _sleep_!" Ametrine shot both hands out to the side, mouthing an enchantment as wind picked up around her. "I'm done being nice. Now the whole city can suffer for your ill-manners!"

The two forces of the wind collided together, energy dangerously sparking between them as the force grew stronger. As loose dirt began to lift, the wind propelled them into small missiles scattering in any direction. A small rock nicked Kid on the face but he paid no heed to it as the second and third Sanzu lines glowed with power, his own swirling energy pushing Ametrine's back as it grew. The witch forced more of her wavelength out to compete with the Shinigami's level, the vortex growing enormous and out of control.

"If that thing gets any bigger, it'll destroy the whole school and more than half the city." Stein appeared out of nowhere next to Kid, his eyes locked onto the witch rising to the sky. "We need a way to get her out of Death City and fast. Spirit and I will work on pushing her back, keep your attacks narrowed to avoid collateral."

"I may not be that young boy anymore, Professor Stein, but somehow I'm still being guided by you." Kid joked as Ametrine's soul grew larger once more, nearly identical in size to the Shinigami's.

"Someone's gotta keep you monsters in line, may as well be a monster itself to do the job." Stein shot back with a crazed smile as he swung Spirit around to rest along the length of his arm.

"Enough of the talking, start kicking her ass!" Black Star shouted over the howling winds. "Kid, you feelin' a little mad?"

"More than a little, Black Star; let's go: Madness—."

A ripple shot through the air and Kid faltered as time seemed to slow; Black Star's dizzying fast shadow movements were slowed down to about the pace of a fast snail before freezing. Stein was moving no faster, in the process of swinging Spirit from his arm to his front, the scythe's blade materializing as it moved. Kid eyed the scene with confusion.

"What…time slowed down? No, it _stopped." _The Reaper muttered to himself as everything around him froze. So why wasn't _he_ frozen?

"Nyamuu~" Came a familiar chirp from behind him and Kid turned to see the witch Mabaa and her feline-resembling assistant standing there.

"M-Mabaa…you…stopped _time?_" Kid balked as he tried to wrap his head around what was happening.

"Be grateful she arrived in the nick of time," the second witch huffed out, taking a drag from her pipe. "If you had continued your battle with Ametrine, then your entire city and its people would've been wiped from this earth. She is a sneaky, conniving snake of a woman who has long been banished from the Coven for abuse of her powers onto others and countless innocent souls collected."

"She's really that powerful, huh…" Now it seemed more like divine intervention that Maka survived a solo battle against her, without a weapon no less.

"Nyamuu~!" Mabaa chirped again as her right eye began to shine, emitting a blinding flash of light that covered the entire city.

Kid slammed his arm over his eyes, still seeing the light force its way through skin and bone. An immense heat followed, causing him to instantly break out in a sweat. After a few intense moments, a loud _crack_ echoed in the silence of frozen time and with wariness, he lowered his arm to take a look. Massive lines of incantations were spewing from beneath Mabaa's cloak and wrapping themselves around a still Ametrine before tightening down hard. Her form began to move sluggishly through a pocket of space and the witch soon found herself bound together on the ground in front of the current Mother of the Coven.

"Mabaa, I should've known you'd pull a stunt like this, aiding the Reaper just before his demise. What a shame; you've fallen so far since having that lovey eye of yours ripped from your skull." Ametrine spat at her sister witch, venom oozing from every word as she tried to wriggle around in the constraints.

"_Silence, you wench_. You are privileged to even still be alive after your crimes against the Coven, so I suggest you hold your tongue lest I burn it off slowly with fire slugs." The second witch snarled back, with just as much, if not more, venom. "Reaper, you are now indebted to us, remember it well."

"I graciously thank you, Mabaa, for coming to the aid of my city and its inhabitants. Call upon me whenever you wish for your debt to be repaid." Kid crossed his right arm over his chest and bowed to the Mother, grateful for the assistance.

"Nyamuu~~"

"Just you wait, Reaper, I'll be out of there soon enough. Maka Albarn; I'll be back for her soul!"

They vanished in a cloud of smoke just as time began to turn once more, the gray haze melting into colorful surroundings once more. Black Star, who was in the middle of a Shadow Star afterimage jutsu, stopped mid-air once he realized the witch was gone. The images absorbed back into his body as he floated to the ground, rubbing his hand against his head in confusion. Stein, who was mid-swing with his scythe, stopped abruptly and placed the end of the weapon to the ground, knowing eyes darting to Kid.

"What the fuck just happened?" The ninja quickly looked around the area, searching for the witch he was battling just a moment ago.

"Seems we have a very good ally," Stein casually remarked, adjusting his glasses. "This is going to lead to bigger things, Kid, Black Star. I get the feeling they won't be able to hold her for very long with her level of strength."

"Agreed." Kid felt a trickle of dread slide down his spine. He had the feeling another full war was going to break out in the near future. But for now, he had a school to repair and a meister to check up on.

'_Father, guide and protect us on the path of fate we are about to partake.'_

* * *

Tremors were no longer shaking the city as Soul peered out from the kitchen window. Blair had taken Maka to get cleaned up and while in the process of drying her off, the meister awoke. She was confused at first, wondering how she got back to the apartment in the first place, though the gears of her mind soon aligned, and she became _pissed_. Soul had bandaged her up the best he could all the while scolding her for being an idiot. For the past five minutes though, the meister had been ranting and raving from the couch about how that witch would've been punched harder had there been the chance. Even while Soul set a steaming cup of tea down in front of her, Maka was still going on her rant, punching a pillow with renewed vigor.

"I should've known something was up with that girl! How she was always stalking you, glaring at me whenever she noticed us together. Gah, thinking about it makes me want to—!"

Soul grabbed her cheeks and pushed them together, earning a softened glare from his meister. He kept messing with her face until she gave in and went quiet.

"Will you chill out? You just survived going against probably the strongest witch alive, _alone_, and all you want to complain about is how you didn't get to punch her harder? I can't leave you alone for a second," Soul sighed as he released her face before plopping down heavily next to her, letting his head drop back as he closed his eyes. "I shouldn't have left you alone…you wouldn't be like this if I had just stayed there."

Maka stayed quiet for a few minutes, playing with the hem of the over-sized sweatshirt Blair had given her. He felt guilty about being dragged away, probably because of how she was treating him poorly over something that neither had control of. Tears welled up in her eyes and her heart ached; she never should've acted so childish, pushing him away because of a small interruption. Just as she lifted her head to speak, she noticed his white shirt was stained heavily with blood.

"Soul, did you get injured? Why is your shirt soaked in blood?" The weapon opened his eyes and looked down, remembering it was soiled from his fall.

"Oh, yeah. No big deal, a few scratches here and there. My jacket took most of the damage, so don't worry." He gave her a tired toothy smile and ruffled her hair gently. "Your wounds don't look so bad after getting cleaned up. You want something to eat? Not sure what we got, haven't been to the store lately…"

"Take your shirt off and let me look at the wounds." Maka spoke quietly as she slowly got up from her spot, wincing and grabbing her shoulder gently as she opened the heavily used medical kit once more.

"Maka, I'm fine. You're the one who needs to sit down and rest. Seriously, they're just some scrapes, they'll heal in no time." Soul tried to argue but just received a pointed look before sighing and giving in.

Pulling his torn and bloodied shirt off, the weapon shifted to sit sideways on the furniture, feeling the cushions sink behind him as Maka kneeled down. He waited patiently while she slowly worked, hissing every now and then when she rubbed alcohol over the wounds. Her soul was stable, for the most part, but it seemed to be trembling a little while she moved around. He reached his out in comfort and she hesitated before taking it, the two souls resonating in harmony. All the worry, anger, fear, regret, and guilt flowed into him and the weapon felt it all hit him square in the chest.

Maka tightened the last of the bandages around Soul's arm, her fingers lingering lightly over the wound. She felt _awful_ that he had gotten hurt again because of her recklessness. If she hadn't gotten so upset over something so small, something so _stupid_…

Without her realizing it, Soul had pulled away and shifted on the couch, so he was facing her, arms pulling her in against his bare chest.

"It's not your fault, so stop blaming yourself for it. If anything, it's my fault for leaving you alone like that."

"Soul…"

"It'll be alright, just let it all out…"

Maka felt the tears overflowing as she wrapped her arms around Soul, sobbing into his shoulder as the emotional dam she had built up suddenly burst wide open. Everything she held in for the past week flowed out as she cried into her partners shoulder, the heavy weight lifting from her chest. Soul kept silent while she cried, rubbing his hand rhythmically up and down her bandaged back. He knew she needed the release just from how tense her shoulders had become.

The two sat there for nearly an hour, just holding each other in silence. Maka's face felt like a giant marshmallow as she used the back of her hands to wipe any remaining tears away, her eyes red and stinging. Pulling back, she noticed Soul had his eyes closed, his mouth slightly open as he slumped against the back of the couch. He had fallen asleep sometime during her outburst, his arms still tightly wrapped around her. Maka stared at his peaceful form. With a delicate finger she traced his jawline, his cheek, down to his lips that were just barely parted.

How could he always be so calm and collected while she was….well, reckless and strong headed would be the best way to describe it. The man in front of her had always been her support, her friend, partner… maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they were something _more_.

Maka gently cupped a bandaged hand against his cheek as she leaned towards him, licking her lips tentatively as she angled her head slightly to line their lips up. She closed her eyes the rest of the way as their lips were nearly touching, heart pounding hard against her chest. Just as she lightly touched his lips, movement threw her off guard as his lips pressed back against hers and his hand gently pressed against the back of her neck. Her face flushed brightly as she pulled away, slapping a hand over her mouth as she stared at Soul with wide eyes.

"Maka Albarn, did you just kiss me while I was sleeping? Such a pervert…" Soul teased with a toothy grin as he watched Maka go from embarrassed to mock annoyed, her face bright red.

"S-Soul you—!" Soul snatched her hand away before silencing her with another kiss, keeping her hand locked in his.

The meister gave in after a few moments and relaxed against the new unfamiliar sensation, running her free hand into wild white locks. Soul took that as an invitation as he wrapped his free arm tighter around her waist, pulling her into a straddle position on his lap and flush against his chest. She could feel that toothy grin against her lips and she couldn't help but smile back.

'_Jerk…I love you…'_

'_I know…'_

* * *

**O.M.G. I love this story so much! Cutest couple ever! Sorry it took so long, I had to rewrite it a few times before I was happy with it. Enjoy and look forward to the next chapter!**


	6. Rally Together

**Here we go again! Updates will be spread further out as work picks up, so please be patient. I rewrote the last chapter I think at least three times…kept getting better ideas. Without further ado…. onward! *Sorry for the delay! Got busy with work for the end of the year numbers and then I went to Japan for two weeks! Best. Two. Weeks. Of. My. Life. ***

* * *

_The Coven was abuzz as the gossip quickly spread throughout the Realm, excitement filling the air as the announcement neared. A new leader was to be chosen; the current witch had fallen critically ill, leading the council to designate the next successor. It was always a special occasion once a new Mother was chosen to lead the Coven, something that happened every few hundred years, if not more, unless something befell the predecessor. The council was composed of the oldest, and wisest, witches within the Realm; their word was law and anyone who broke the law faced exile or worse._

_The candidates selected consisted of two witches from the High-Level ranking, one Short Range witch, a Tanuki witch, and a Necromancer classification witch. One of the HL witches, by the name of Ametrine Gorgon, was rumored to be the most favored by the council due to her impressive skill level and dedication to the Coven. Though she was favored by the elders, many of the younger witches had different opinions of the witch with the flaming red hair._

"_I'm so excited to see who the new Mother will be! It's terrible Mother Rosediah fell ill in such a horrible way, may she recover swiftly, but I'm sure our new leader will be just as great!" A young Tanuki witch gossiped to her friend as they rushed down the corridor to claim good seats in the gathering chamber, excitedly moving through the crowded passageway._

"_I just hope it isn't Ametrine; the elders may think she's perfect, but I heard she has been sneaking out and hooking up with human males! They're such disgusting creatures; though I guess it's fitting for a snake like her to be with her own kind." The two snickered before taking off, weaving through the throng of witches with ease._

_As the plethora of witches filled the massive gathering chamber, on the center stage stood the contenders, sitting perfectly still on their assigned chairs. Murmurs waved over the crowd as one chair on the end was empty, the chair for the second HL witch Evanora Killgorne. Everyone quieted down as the council strode across the stage to their respective podiums, their movements slow yet graceful and fluid._

"_Witches, sisters, welcome to the coronation ceremony. Though we mourn the illness of Mother Rosediah, now is the time to keep our strength and spirits up as we welcome our new Mother." An elderly Necromancer witch by the name of Celestina Barclay spoke loudly into the microphone adorned to her stand. "We, the council, have narrowed down the candidates for the crucial and sacred role that binds us together as family. But sadly, we do have some unfortunate news regarding one of our selected witches,"_

_The emporium went dead silent. Most of the older witches had a guess at what happened while the younger ones looked around in confusion. The council slowly scanned the crowds, taking in the confused, knowing, pained, and horrified looks before the second councilwoman spoke up._

"_My sisters, it is with a heavy heart that we, the council, announce the sudden disappearance of Evanora Killgorne. We have received notice from a sister branch that she left their location two days ago but never arrived at her halfway checkpoint back to our home." Marilla Wyrm, a Tanuki witch, broke the heavy news to the hundreds of witches sitting before her._

"_Ladies, we understand your thoughts and feelings, but we must have faith that she will return to us. We have sent our fastest and stealthiest teams to track her down and bring her home safely." A third council witch, Raine Moonfall, assured the panicking crowd, the whispers nearly becoming hysterics within minutes._

_The fourth and final witch amongst the council took a step backwards from her podium while raising her hand, her thumb and middle finger barely touching. The three other witches took notice and took a step back, bowing in respect as they moved. After a heartbeat of waiting, she snapped her fingers and the whole arena went quiet as a calming wavelength washed over them._

"_Witches, while this is a very urgent matter that has arisen, we must continue on with the ceremony as scheduled. We have the matter under control, so please refrain yourselves from further interrupting."_

"_We, the council, have hereby decided upon our new Mother of the Coven. Narrowed down from these candidates sitting before you all, their dedication and experience standing out above others, their bravery and courage helping those who look up for guidance and knowledge. For years we have observed and taken note of those who have earned the sacred honor of Coven Mother nominee. Witches, today we welcome the newest Mother to lead our clan to a safe and prosperous future, building the path for our youngest witches while keeping our sanctuary safe."_

_There was a pregnant pause as the coven looked on, anxious to learn of their new chosen leader._

"_May we proudly present…"_

"_Our new Mother…"_

"_The one who shall guide us on our journeys…"_

"_And bring prosperity to our Coven for many generations to come…"_

* * *

Ametrine growled through her mouth gag, sealed eyes twitching restlessly beneath the fabric as she was shuffled along like a criminal. She was fitted with a straight jacket that kept her arms pinned awkwardly behind her, every jostle or bump in the road causing her shoulders to grind painfully. Shackles were linked around her ankles, restricting her movement to small shuffles when she walked. With her powers bound she had little hope of escaping the Witches Realm unscathed. Even so, as a witch of over five hundred years old, she could still sense there were numerous guards surrounding her, anti-magic weapons aimed mere inches from her body. Small sparks would arch far enough to zap her often, a painful reminder not to try anything.

"Nyamu."

The captive witch grunted as a hand grabbed her roughly by the back of the neck, forcing her to stop. If an aura could kill…

"You'll be staying in a hidden location until the time of your trial, Ametrine, so I suggest you use that time wisely to repent for your actions." Snarled Mabaa's assistant as a heavy metal door screeched open, like nails on a chalkboard. Hot breath hit Ametrine's ear as the witch drew close. "Unfortunately for you, I am one of the judges for your trial. If it was up to me, I would kill you on the spot while you're tied up and defenseless. The others may not be aware, but I am fully aware of what _really_ happened to Mother Rosediah all those centuries ago."

The memory flashed through the captive witches' mind and she let out a silent _tsk_. She had tried to be careful when taking care of the elderly and sick Queen Witch, but apparently not careful enough. Everything had been planned down to even the 10th backup plan. A slow, but effective, natural poison that was nearly impossible to trace, was slipped into a nearby incense burner. With her weakened state, and the burner running nearly non-stop, it only took about two and a half weeks before she slipped away in her sleep, none the wiser. It must have been a servant who had inhaled too much of the incense and fallen ill as well, or a hidden recorder lacrima stashed near the Queen. One small slip and now she had a witness, one who was a _judge_, no less. Ametrine turned her head to face the feline witch, her glare nearly burning through her seal. The powerful witch let the edges of her tight lips curl upwards as she felt the glare permeating from behind the seal, releasing an amused puff of smoke.

"I see your memory is still sharp after all these centuries. You'd best remember your place and _keep it._" Blowing a puff of smoke into Ametrine's face, the higher-ranking witch flicked her wrist before turning and leaving. The sound of chains clinking diminishing as the large iron doors began to close.

The groaning of the door rang throughout the small cell as Ametrine was magically chained against the wall, the final slivers of light giving into darkness with an ear-shattering clang. She would have plenty of time to think of an escape; a trial like this would take up to seven days maximum to prepare all the evidence and gather the Council. More than that, it would give the witch ample time in which to formulate her retaliation against the DWMA.

A wicked grin graced her taut lips; she would save the best prize for last.

'_You're mine, Maka Albarn.'_

* * *

"Maka…Maka-chan…"

Maka groaned as she nestled deeper into the warmth, her consciousness slipping back to the darkness as she ignored the disturbance. A hand began gently pushing against her arm and the meister twitched her arm slightly away. Exhaustion weighed heavily over her mind and body, the urge to slip away from it all tempting.

"Maka-chan, you have some visitors here to see you. Kid-kun would like to see you, he's waiting in the living room." Blair purred as she gently grabbed the meisters arm and began removing her from the cocoon of blankets she was currently nestled into. "Tsubaki and the Thompson sisters are here as well. Come on, Maka, let's get you up now."

"K-Kid?" The meister slurred the words out, her mouth feeling full of cotton. She flicked her tongue around before trying again. "Blair? What's going on?"

"Kid-kun wanted to discuss something urgent with you and the girls wanted to make sure you were okay. You've been out for quite a while…"

That woke Maka up. As the blankets were thrown back from her lethargic frame, the natural light penetrated her green orbs and she let out a hiss. How long had she been out? Noticing how sticky she felt, she must have been taking more than an afternoon nap. A while didn't exactly sound very comforting…

After some shifting of blankets and clothing, Blair helped the meister shuffle to the bathroom to clean up a bit. After adjusting to the brightness of the lights, Maka cracked a watery eye and nearly had a heart attack looking at her ragged reflection; it looked and felt like someone had used her face as a punching bag before a big match. Bruises lining her jaw were a medium yellowish color, matching ones traced around her cheeks and eyes, even down her neck to her collarbone. The bruises would be gone within a few more days, but she couldn't help but grimace at her appearance. She noticed an oddly darker bruise that appeared hand-shaped print around her neck, just under her chin. Narrowing her eyes, she stared at the markings until the sensation came back to her in a flood of emotions and she could feel the witch stealing the very breath from her once more. A strangled gasp left her lips and she backed away from the mirror, grabbing at her throat with both hands. Panic began to set in as her chest constricted painfully, breathing becoming ragged as she slid down against the wall.

Blair knocked on the door and asked if she was alright, but the loud ringing in her ears drowned everything out. Everything was becoming hazy as the room began to spin faster and faster. Tears poured down her face as she curled into a tight ball, willing the images to go away, for the pain to go away. There was a dull tug at her soul, but the pain soon washed over it and she let out a silent cry.

"Blair, is something wrong with Maka?" Tsubaki gently asked as she made her way down the hallway, Thompson sisters close behind.

"Bu-tan doesn't know what to do to help. Maka-chan has been having terrible nightmares during the nights and not even Soul-kun can wake her up. I think she's having them because she's afraid of that witch, of how much stronger she is than Maka. I've never seen her shaken up so bad and I don't know what I can do to help…" Blair's ears folded against her head as she wrapped her arms around herself, eyes drifting to look at the closed bathroom door with forlorn. "That witch, Ametrine was it? I have a really bad feeling about her. I may be just a cat with incredible magical powers, but I'm nowhere near the level she is. I could sense her power from the club, and it was like nothing I've ever felt. Asura doesn't seem to come close to her level…"

"Ametrine's power nearly overpowered my own considering my awakened powers as a Shinigami; the fact that her level is that high, if not higher, means she's a serious threat to the city and others worldwide."

Kid had joined the conversation quietly, standing between Liz and Patty with his arms crossed over his chest.

"It's lucky that Maka survived a battle against her. Who knows what would have happened if it weren't for us intervening the battle. I've been researching what history we have on the witches, but there is very little mention of Ametrine. There was a page that had notes on her becoming the Coven Mother a few hundred years back, though it seems after a few short years she was exiled. This may require contacting the witches directly and gathering more information from them."

"But didn't they capture Amoeba? The witches have probably already locked her up forever,"

"Ametrine, Patty, but she has a point, Kid. I'm sure they've got her locked away and probably awaiting a trial at some point." Liz corrected her sister before turning to Kid. "If she was exiled from the Witches Realm, then she must have done something horrible enough for the witches to turn on her. Maybe she broke some sacred rules or something?"

The shower suddenly turned on in the bathroom and everyone went quiet. The handle slowly turned, and the door cracked open ever so slightly to reveal a sliver of green.

"Blair, could you grab me some fresh clothes? I'm just going to shower first and then we can talk." Maka croaked out, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course, Maka! I'll grab you some sweats and a t-shirt and leave it inside of the door for you."

"Thank you." The door quietly shut.

"I'm going to make some tea for when she comes out. Liz, Patty, could you help me get some food ready for her? She may not be hungry, but she needs to eat something." Tsubaki took command and ushered the sisters into the kitchen, throwing Kid an apologetic look.

Kid gave a reassuring smile before slowly returning to the living room. Ametrine must have done something worse than breaking a few rules to become exiled after just a few years. Witches usually were in charge for hundreds of years, if not longer, until they became too weak or sick to continue ruling. Considering how powerful of a witch she was, there's no telling what could've happened. There must be a clue somewhere, possibly right in front of their faces…

The front door swung open just then to reveal Black Star stuffing his face with rice balls and an annoyed Soul Eater carrying groceries on both arms.

"Sorry it took so long, someone kept eating the groceries on the way home and we had to go back and get more." Soul shot a dirty look to the unapologetic ninja, earning a shrug in return.

"I was hungry, do you expect the great Black Star to starve? It takes a lot of energy to be as perfect as me!"

"Black Star, what have I told you about doing that! Especially to someone else's groceries!" Tsubaki scolded him, waving a wooden spoon threateningly in his face. "You can use that money you earned from that mission and pay Soul back. I can't believe you, I thought you were better than that."

Black Star dropped the charade and quickly shot an apology to Soul, tossing him more than enough money to cover the groceries, at least enough for a few months, and following Tsubaki, asking for forgiveness. Soul rolled his eyes. He always acted so tough, yet when Tsubaki was scolding him, he follows her around like a puppy hoping to get back on her good side. Liz and Patty greeted him as he unloaded the food onto the table, separating refrigerated from non-perishables.

"We're making food for Maka, did you want anything specific? Hers will be pretty bland." Liz asked while picking out the ingredients she needed. "She woke up a short while ago and is showering now. It's great Blair is here to help out while you're gone, though I'm sure you wanted to be here when she woke up."

"I'm good, not all that hungry right now. I could feel when she woke up earlier, so at least that's a bit of comfort," Soul paused momentarily as he was placing cans in the cabinet. Liz noticed but kept quiet, waiting for him to speak. "She's being tormented by that creature in her sleep, the one we fought in Russia, screaming out and trying to fight it off. I couldn't even wake her up, no matter what I tried. I feel useless as her partner, not being able to help her…"

"Soul, the best thing you can do right now is be there for her, whether she's awake or not. You two share an unbreakable bond; you're bound mind, body, and soul. As partners, you're always there for each other, no matter what happens." Tsubaki had overheard the conversation and joined, laying a gentle hand on Soul's shoulder. "She may not be aware you're there, but her soul can feel your presence."

"Tsubaki is right, Soul, you are the strongest team I have personally ever seen. Not just in physical strength, but in soul connection. Of course, you'll have your arguments and fights, but when it comes down to it, you'll always be there for each other." Black Star interjected, earning surprised looks from the women. "What? Did I say something weird?"

"Kami above, he actually has some brains in that thick skull of his,"

"Sometimes he says really nice things, you guys, it shouldn't be so shocking."

"You think he had any to begin with? I'm pretty sure it's just full of hot air,"

"Patty, you too? How could you all turn against me! Soul, buddy, pal, you've got my back, right?"

"After you kept eating my groceries on the way home and making me go back to get more? I'm not so sure anymore,"

"Ouch, that's harsh, Soul. I trusted you like my brother—"

"To be fair, Black Star, you do tend to do whatever you please without caring about the consequences. Do I need to remind you of the asymmetrical damage you did to the front of Shibusen that fateful day all of those years ago? I still have nightmares about it from time to time."

"Seriously, Kid? Nightmares about the front of the school becoming asymmetrical. You couldn't have nightmares about, oh I don't know, _Asura trying to kill us all_?"

"Ahahaha, sis is a scaredy-cat! Scaredy-cat, scaredy-cat!"

"You guys, we're being too loud! We don't want to disturb Maka too much…"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, everyone, but Maka is almost ready to sit and talk now." Blair interrupted the rambunctious activity in the kitchen.

Black Star was latched onto Soul's legs, listing off all the times he had helped Soul out and reminding him of the good times. Patty was twitching with glee, anxious to start a fight with the blue-haired ninja. Tsubaki was busy stirring a pot on the stove and Liz was busy examining her nails again. Kid, who had joined the gang in the kitchen, poured himself a cup of tea, eyeing the chaos with amusement.

"I'll be right back," Soul roughly kicked Black Star from his leg before hurrying down the hallway, leaving the ninja on the tiled floor.

"He really does love her a lot," Blair sighed with a smile, taking a seat on the corner of the table, tail twitching softly. "Though he would never admit that aloud to anyone but her. Young love is such a wonderful thing."

Maka ran her fingers through her wet locks, attempting to detangle the knots that had grown. When that failed, she grabbed the comb and began to tug them out. The shower had helped wake her up and clear her mind. The feeling of panic seemed to lurk at the edge of her mind, but a familiar warmth kept it at bay. Patting her hair dry with a towel, the meister heard a commotion going on in the kitchen. It sounded like Black Star being loud and obnoxious once again, though it sounded like others were with him. She should have known everyone would show up along with Kid to see her. A flash of guilt hit her, and she lowered her arms, resting the towel on the edge of the sink. Because she was so reckless, she had caused her friends to worry once more. Soul must be worried out of his mind…

Her legs felt like jello as she exited the bathroom and rested her back against the wall, the muscles burning from lack of use. She closed her eyes and rested her head back, a bit of dizziness coming over her. When was the last time she had eaten anything? A day? Two or three? Or maybe she had been out for an entire week…

"Maka."

Opening her eyes, she stared into the familiar red ones that she had come to know and love. He definitely looked a little ragged; his hair was in disarray, aside from its usual spiked form, and he looked exhausted judging by the bags under his eyes. Even his clothes seemed a little more wrinkled than usual. But there he was, standing less than a foot away from her, relief written on his face.

"Soul…" Maka hadn't even finished breathing his name before she was engulfed in his arms, the familiar warmth soothing her aches instantly.

"Thank Shinigami you're awake. You've been asleep for days," Maka grimaced.

"How long was I out?"

"Nearly a week. The few times you briefly woke up was to use the bathroom and get water from Blair before going back to bed."

She could feel his soul quivering slightly against hers with an emotion he rarely showed; he was _scared. _Because she was always so reckless, her partner suffered the emotional toll of her actions. Tears slipped down her face before she could stop them, the drops landing against Soul's shoulder. Gently pushing her back, the weapon lightly wiped them away before placing a light kiss over each eye.

"I'm so sorry, Soul, I never should've been angry with you over something so _stupid_. If I hadn't acted like a complete idiot, then none of this would have happened and I wouldn't have caused you so much pain." Maka blubbered out as she wiped furiously at her eyes with the backs of her hands. "I always cause you so much trouble…maybe it would be better to have a partner who isn't so reckless and stupid all the time."

Soul knelt down on one knee, grabbing Maka's face gently as he waited for her to calm down. Within a few minutes the meister was reduced to hiccups and watery eyes. She kept her gaze down, embarrassed at her outburst at Soul. But he waited patiently, his eyes never leaving her face for a moment. He wiped away any stray tears with his thumbs, stroking her reddened cheeks with such tenderness that it made her heart flutter.

"Maka, none of this is your fault. No one could have known she was a witch in disguise before something happened. I should have been there for you, and I'm sorry. I may be an arrogant, snarky, uncool guy sometimes, but I will _always be there for you_. We're partners and have been since the moment we met until the day that we die. I am willing to throw my life down for you if it means that you're safe. You're more than just my partner, Maka, you're the woman I love with all my being."

Soul closed to gap between them and kissed her softly, resting their heads together once they broke apart. Maka felt the tears flowing again once more and threw her arms around his neck, openly sobbing into his shirt. The weapon let out a small laugh as he held her close, their souls instinctively aligning as he tried to send calming wavelengths to his meister. He wasn't nearly as good at is as she was, her Grigori soul might have been part of the reason why, though he still tried his best.

"Such a crybaby meister, what am I going to do with you?" Maka snorted against his shoulder. He could feel her soul lightening up as she calmed down and relaxed.

"You _could_ feed me some of your infamous cupcakes to make up for making me cry."

Soul rolled his eyes; there it was, the Maka-Guilt-Trip-Tactic. It always came out when the two had argued over something he had done wrong like burning dinner because Blair had distracted him by popping her top off in front of him. Whenever she pulled that card, though, he always gave in. He wanted her to be happy no matter what, even if it meant putting on a frilly apron and decorating cupcakes into little soul shapes.

"I suppose I could do that, but Kid and the others have been waiting patiently for you to sit down with them. They want to go over everything that happened so Kid can figure out a plan of attack against that rogue witch." He felt Maka stiffen up.

"Ametrine…she's no ordinary witch, Soul. When we fought, she told me that Medusa and Arachne _together_ barely matched half of her power. I was effortlessly tossed around by her and she had only raised a hand. There was no use in trying to fight back, Soul, she's too powerful…"

"Be that as it may, she's chosen to mess with the wrong city and the wrong Shinigami." The two turned to see Kid standing in the hallway, hands symmetrically place in his pockets. "We've had our fair share of strong opponents, but if I recall correctly, we've always overcome and conquered them with your Soul Resonance. So, the question for you, Maka; are you ready to give your all and dish out some revenge while you're at it?"

A fire ignited inside of Maka and she stood, albeit with some help from Soul, and turned bright emerald eyes to golden ones. Kid smirked as he knew his answer.

"Let's have a seat then, this is going to be a long night."

* * *

**Holy crap I finally finished it! Thanks so much for your patience! I'll keep chugging away at this since I've finally gotten motivation and time again.**


	7. An Unlikely Partnership

**Things are getting intense now! I love the idea of how Soul can be a sweetheart and open with his feelings when called for. For now, let's dig into Ametrine's past a little more!**

* * *

_A knock on the door brought Ametrine back to reality, her fingers marking the page of the spell tome she was reading. It had been a few months since being officially coronated as the Mother of the Coven and she had been swamped with paperwork and research. Evanora Killgorne had been missing for nearly three months now and members of the Coven were pushing their Mother to take drastic actions in finding her. A headache began to form, and she pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a heavy sigh. She knew there was a heavy responsibility of becoming the leader of the witches, though this felt more like being buried beneath a mountain of paperwork and constant meetings that were really just for other witches to complain about stupid suggestions like a new color of flower for the Coven gardens._

_With a grunt she pushed her chair back and stood, straightening the wrinkles in her floor-length robe out. It was tradition for the Mother to wear the midnight black robes embroidered with golden thread depicting the connection between the stars and magic. For thousands of years, the Mother's of the Coven had worn this sacred robe to keep the tradition and faith alive for generations to follow. Thankfully they had kept it clean and in fairly good condition, but the thought of one of her predecessors dying in the robe made her skin crawl._

"_I'm coming," Ametrine called as she made her way to her office doors, her heels clicking loudly against the aged wooden floor. Through the large glass windows adorning the office walls she could see the sun beginning to set, a vibrant mix of oranges and reds creating a peaceful view._

"_Mother, forgive me for the intrusion so late in the day, but there's been an incident and the Council is requesting your appearance immediately." A breathless courier huffed out as she bowed. "Regarding the disappearance of Ms. Evanora Killgorne. Please, come with me and I will escort you there."_

"_Evanora Killgorne? They've found her then?" Ametrine asked as she hurried behind the messenger, one hand grasping her large black hat as they moved. The teams sent out to find her hadn't reported anything that would lead to her location, so why now?_

"_I'm afraid I don't have the final answer, Mother, I am merely the messenger. I do not dare question the Council for they are a fierce and respectful group of witches. We are nearing the meeting room, Mother."_

_The meeting room was merely a stone's throw from Ametrine's head office, nestled directly in the center of the Coven. It was an ancient building with records indicating it was nearly as old as the Coven itself, shaped like a crescent moon adorned with intricate flower beds along the walls. There were witches mingling around in the gardens surrounding it; a generally popular place to relax and enjoy the foliage on nice days. Ametrine was slowly getting used to the other witches bowing and showing respect as she passed, but today she paid them no heed._

_They arrived at the massive set of ornate wooden doors leading into the meeting room and the messenger bowed deeply before scurrying away, leaving Ametrine alone to deal with the Council. She could feel the tense air seeping through the cracks around the door frame and grit her teeth; this wasn't going to be good news. _

"_Ahh, Mother of the Coven, welcome to our sanctum," Celestina Barclay greeted Ametrine with a bow as she strode into the room. "We have urgent news regarding the disappearance of Evanora Killgorne and the other witches. Please, have a seat at the head of the table. We are waiting on Cordelia Delacroix to finish gathering her information regarding the matter. Would you like anything to drink? We have water, tea,"_

"_Just water would be fine, thank you." Ametrine smiled at the elderly witch as she took the head of the table, the large backed chair seemingly imposing over the others._

_She eyed the witches with interest as they fluttered around, gathering papers and marking map locations with charcoal. Most of them were nearing five hundred years old, give or take a few decades, though that number paled in comparison to the head member of the Council. Cordelia Delacroix is the oldest surviving witch in the history of the Witches Realm, reaching an age nearly double that of her council members. Stories tell that she was one of the original founding witches to the Coven, but she merely shook it off as rumors spread by witches with nothing better to gossip about. The Coven was founded nearly three thousand two-hundred years ago; unless she was a master at life extension, Ametrine highly doubted she was that old. There were fairy tales of witches living past a thousand years old, created mainly to scare to children into avoiding the forests at night; however, they were nothing more than tall tales._

_Nearing one hundred and fifty years old herself, Ametrine was entering the prime of her years and magical power. Witches generally reached their peak power level between one hundred ninety to two hundred and thirty years old, with the exception of some naturally gifted witches born with larger power reserves like herself. The High-Level witch had stopped aging shortly after turning twenty-one years old, her appearance staying young and supple thanks to her powers. The councilwomen, however, preferred not to waste their powers on something trivial like appearances. Their hair had long ago faded to gray and were now kept up in tight buns or braids, very rarely let down from those styles. Wrinkles adorned their sun-spotted faces, only adding to their wise and all-knowing appearances. Only Cordelia attempted to keep some of her youth, opting for a younger sixties appearance to hide her true age from the world._

_Ametrine sipped on her water lightly, eyes drifting downward to the table as she waited for them to settle. There were a few maps lined neatly in front of her showing the wooded areas around the Coven along with the closest sister towns. A red line showed the path Evanora should have taken on her way back; it was nearly a straight shot from the town back to home base, but there was one patch of dense woodland centered directly in the path. The witch narrowed her eyes in suspicion at the spot, something in the back of her mind telling her to avoid that area at all costs._

"_Forgive me for the wait, Mother, there was new information I needed to read over before meeting with you." Cordelia strode into the room with her head held high, a stack of papers resting in her arms. "We, the Council, have called you here in regard to the missing witch Evanora Killgorne. Our sources have gathered unusual readings from within the Kerrojour Woodlands over the past few months, approximately around the time Evanora vanished. The magic around the perimeter is too strong for our witches to attempt to enter."_

"_Though it is still an unlikely option, we fear there may be madness seeping into the Realm." Marilla added in. "It cannot be confirmed of yet."_

"_Or there is a possibility that the madness within someone has finally reached the point of consuming its host," Raine Moonfall quickly threw in. "There is no telling what exactly has happened since we have not been able to successfully enter the forest grounds. The nearby towns have reported some of their witches having gone missing as well, all of them going near or through the forest."_

_Ametrine scanned over the papers she was handed, all depicting reports of missing witches, the dates they vanished, and odd noises coming from the forest itself. All of the disappearances seemed to begin just a few weeks before Evanora was set to return home. The towns were sending letters begging for the help of the Coven Mother, all desperate to have their citizens return home safely. One remark stood out from the rest and she traced a finger over the sentence as she read._

'_**A witness reported seeing a strange human male stumbling towards the forest dragging a large burlap sack behind him. When confronted and asked if they needed assistance, the man turned and snarled menacingly at the bystander before lunging at them. The victim managed to escape without injury and stayed a safe distance away, watching the person retreat back into the woods.'**_

_There weren't very many human men in the Realm; mainly witches put a spell on them and kept them around as servants for a few years, but the ones that were around had a close eye kept on them to ensure the safety of the witches. Save for the few men on the Elite teams, most were kept under a memory wipe spell that cleared their minds of anything magic related. Only one or two had gone rogue in the past few decades, but the fact that there was another one acting crazy was suspicious._

"_Perhaps Asura's madness still lurks within the world…" Ametrine mused as she flipped through the other papers. She had read around a dozen books pertaining to the Death God Asura and how Lord Death had forced his fear into his first-born son to become the God of Absolute Order. Once he lost himself, the madness was felt even in the Witch's Realm._

"_Asura is still sealed away, Mother, he could not possibly be behind this strange occurrence." Marilla pointed out._

"_That may be so, but his madness was felt all the way here in the Realm hundreds of years ago. Surely someone who was affected by it would still have remnants remaining inside of their body if they were never cleansed of it. Witches do not have the power to remove any amount of madness from a person; all we can do is destroy the physical body to remove it, thus taking the life of the person infected. Only a person wielding an anti-demon wavelength would be able to purge and destroy the madness. The madness, depending on how the body was destroyed, will most likely be released into the environment and just move onto its next host. Who's to say it hasn't been passed from body to body in search of a stronger vessel? With all of those witches going missing, it may be searching for a more powerful host to inhabit."_

_The councilwomen froze and looked at each other with wide eyes. No one had thought of that possibility due to the improbable idea that Asura's madness had still survived hundreds of years later. Ametrine took the shock as a sign to continue._

"_Furthermore, if I was a person infected with madness, I would stay away from the general public to avoid raising suspicions with the locals. A dense, quiet forest would be perfectly suited for such a thing. Also considering the fact that this forest sits directly through a main travel road between towns, it would be the easiest way to trap unsuspecting witches travelling through. Many higher-ranking witches travel along that road for council meetings here in the Coven, so the possibility that they were infected by the madness on their way through is mild to high. There is the added possibility that the infected person suppressed their madness or used Soul Protect in case the witch was too powerful to take down. If that were the reason, it would explain the constant disappearances of less powerful witches. They're working their way up to a more powerful witch in order to do something drastic. If they need that much power, then something major is going to happen."_

"_It makes sense now…sisters, I believe Mother is onto something here." Raine whispered. "We must take a plan of action, immediately, before any other witch befalls this madness. Let's assemble the elite team and –"_

"_Great Witch Cordelia, if I may suggest?" Ametrine interrupted the elder witch. "I believe I will take this task head on. We wouldn't others to get wind of madness possibly spreading around, now would we. Give me a small team for backup and this problem will be solved by morning." That gave her more or less twelve hours to get this taken care of._

"_M-Mother, I fear that going by yourself is extremely dangerous! We must insist—!" Celestina shouted out, an unusual characteristic of the normally quiet councilwoman._

"_Celestina, you shall control your outburst lest you have your privileges suspended." Cordelia spoke quietly, but her tone sent a clear message. "Forgive her, Mother, she is just concerned of the high risk of doing such a thing. We have many elite teams that are trained in hand-to-hand combat and magical defense, surely, they will be enough to conquer the being?"_

"_I'm afraid not; if they cannot penetrate the outer edge of the forest, a higher-ranking witch will have to cut through and enter the forest. Being a High-Level witch myself, I see myself as an acceptable solution to the problem at hand." Ametrine laid the papers down on the table and stood, the elevated ground below the chair giving her an intimidating stature. "I respect your wishes and your guidance, Council, but this is a matter that needs to be handled swiftly and discreetly. If word were to get out, we would have panic and disorder in the Coven. Please assemble a small team of elite witches and have them ready near the Northwestern side gate, I need to return to my quarters momentarily."_

"_Yes, Mother. Protection and guidance be with you." The witches chanted in unison, bowing as Ametrine strolled from the room._

_Ametrine was nearly giddy with excitement; being able to study madness up close would be a dream come true! Books never did justice to studying something in person and this was the perfect opportunity to do just that. Her robes fluttered as she strolled back to her quarters, hands clasped behind her back. Madness had always intrigued the witch with how it completely ruined a person's mind and soul with ease. It was such a powerful weapon that could annihilate an entire army within seconds, bringing them to their knees from the insanity. Her pace picked up as she neared her room, heels clacking loudly against the stone corridor. All she would need is her usual witch apparel and a small bottle to capture some of the madness._

_The perks of being a curvaceous woman was that anything looked good on her; the dark thigh-high stockings accentuated the length of her legs while drawing attention to her hips, the two-inch heels boosting her height as well. A long, tight black and gold embroidered dress left little to the imagination with its high side slits while a Grecian neckline showed off her plump assets. Ancient witch symbols lined the tops of the stockings and down the sides of the dress slits, powerful meanings behind each one. Long gloves stopped just shy of her shoulders with loose fabric flowing freely from the base, the sleeves just short of touching her wrists. Long blood red nails protruded from the ends of her gloves, glinting dangerously in the light. With a snap, her long flaming tendrils were weaved together into two thick braids, the tails ending just past mid-back. Ametrine tossed on her over-sized twisted witch hat and gave a nod of approval, lightly touching the curled lip of the fabric._

_Being the Mother of the Coven made being secretive even harder due to the constant flow of people in and out of her office daily, so the vial would have to be hidden somewhere safe in her room. She would deal with that when she got to it; she had some madness to collect._

_Night had fallen by the time Ametrine made her way to the gate, piercing maroon orbs scanning the area for unwanted eyes. She could feel the presence of a few elite members nearby, waiting for her arrival. A shadow jumped down from the tall wall, landing effortlessly on the ground next to her._

"_Mother of the Coven, we welcome your arrival. As ordered, a small team is ready and at your disposal for this mission. We're ready when you are." The masked witch bowed deeply, her bright white eyes shining in the darkness._

"_Very well, let us embark at once and put an end to this killer." Ametrine began walking towards the forest, the elite team following silently behind._

_In less than an hour, they had arrived at the edge of the Kerrojour Woodlands. Even from a distance Ametrine could feel the madness seeping through the dense forest. She kept her face neutral as she walked up to the closest tree, energy snapping at her fingers as she laid them against the bark. Taking a deep breath in, she began to chant._

"_Mothers above, guide us with thy wisdom and thy magic. What has been bound must be undone, what has been unleashed must be ensnared back to the Earth. Thy will commands, thy shall comply. Thou shalt bend to thine will, thou shalt abide by thy command. Corrupticus Phanterio,_ _Reduerous Imperfenum; thy will shall hath commanded…shatter!"_

_The barrier shimmered briefly before shattering violently. As it did, a blast of madness hit them hard. The Elite team staggered backwards, clutching their heads as the madness began to corrupt their minds. Ametrine clenched her teeth as she fought the thick black fog, covering her mouth with an arm._

"_Thy shall bow to thine will by order of the Mothers above, thy shall cleanse thyself with the stars above. Remove thyself from thine presence or thy shall face the wrath of the heavens. Evicta Focuendius…cleanse!" Ametrine shouted as she threw her hand out, blasting the wave of madness with a cleansing spell. As if it were alive, the madness let out an earsplitting screech before bursting into nothingness. The Elite team were stunned and coughing, but still alive._

"_I will be back within three hours. If I am not, then you have my order to come in and retrieve me. Otherwise, please stand guard and ensure no other witches enter the woodlands." Without waiting for an answer, she strode into the dense forest, a twisted grin on her ruby lips. That display of madness power was beyond anything she had ever experienced…and she wanted more of it._

* * *

The iron doors creaked as they opened, stirring Ametrine from her restless slumber. With a grunt she sat up, shifting uncomfortably on the cold hard ground. It took her a moment to realize what was happening as the sound of metal scraped against the rocks in front of her.

"Mabaa has been generous enough to give you decent food, not like it matters with your limited time left." A guard gruffly said as he closed the iron doors behind him, sealing the two together in the cell. "Just so you know, there are a dozen guards surrounding this place so don't try anything funny. While you were asleep, an exploding collar was attached to your neck. Curtesy of Lord Death from the DWMA. Try any incantations and _boom._"

Ametrine tried to stretch her neck and felt the cold hard collar pressing against it. There were infrared sensors that monitored any movement and it let out a warning beep when too much movement was detected. Making a note to specially _thank_ Lord Death, the witch remained still as her mouth seal was removed. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. There was a slim chance this could work…she would just have to wait for the right moment.

"Could I please have some water? I'm a bit parched from my slumber," Ametrine mewed sleepily, adding a small yawn for effect. "It does tend to become a little dry in here after a while."

"Don't even try of using seduction on me, sweetheart, it won't work. I've been warned about your dirty tricks beforehand." The male guard barked out a laugh before grabbing the glass of water from the tray and plopping a metal straw into it. "I've read the stories of the men you've seduced and then suddenly they disappeared."

"Seducing men? Surely, you jest," Ametrine purred out as she shifted her shoulders to push her chest upwards slightly. "A woman of my level could easily get any man I wanted without the tackiness of seducing them like a piece of meat. I prefer to use my brains instead of an attractive body for my entertainment."

"I'm sure you do, witch Ametrine, but with looks like yours, men should be hitting the ground and begging at your feet within seconds."

The edge of the straw tapped at her lips and Ametrine slowly allowed her lips to part, drinking ever so slowly from the cup. If everything went according to plan, she would get the guard to drink from the cup and the rest would fall into place on its own. With a discreet breath out, a small blast of madness was slipped into the glass, seamlessly mixing with the liquid.

"I'm sorry to be such a pain, but the water seems to taste weird. Would you mind taking a sip of it? It seems to almost have a metallic taste to it," Ametrine grimaced, waiting for him to take the bait. Hopefully he was a sucker for big breasts and innocence, otherwise another guard would have to work and there just wasn't enough time to wait for another opportunity.

"Metallic? That's weird, I wonder if the pipes are beginning to rust out in the kitchen." The guard removed the straw and swirled the glass around, looking for anything physical in the glass. With a hesitant sniff, he put it up to his lips and took a small sip.

"It's probably nothing, but I just wanted to ensure it wasn't tainted water. I have a small reaction to certain metals, and I hope it won't cause an allergic reaction." The witch sounded worried, biting the corner of her lip. She knew he had already taken a swig of the water as the madness inside of her began to twitch eagerly.

"Huh, it does seem to have a weird taste to it. I'll check with the kitchen and make sure the supply line is fine. Time's almost up, you'll need to eat quickly." The guard quickly fed the imprisoned witch, even taking the time to wipe her mouth off afterwards.

"Thank you for feeding me, kind sir. May I know your name?"

"Aleksy, Captain of the Elite team."

"Captain Aleksy, thank you kindly for taking care of me. I hope you treasure every moment that you are still breathing." The witch gave a small bow, leaving her head down as he cleaned up the food tray.

"I always do, ma'am, never a dull moment. It's a shame, you know, for such a bright and talented witch like yourself to be imprisoned. I may not know what crimes you committed, but you don't seem all that bad to me." The guard stood and knocked on the door, signaling he was done.

"You flatter me, Aleksy. I'm sure any girl would swoon over your sweet words,"

"Only one girl for me, ma'am, and I'm the luckiest man in the world to have her." Captain Aleksy smiled to himself as the massive doors groaned open, bright sunlight filtering into the dark cell. "I'm going to ask her to marry me within a fortnight."

"Happy wishes to you both, Captain. Who's the lucky girl?"

"Adeline Norwood, the kindest and most beautiful woman I've ever met."

"May you have a long and prosperous marriage, Captain. Mothers guide you both to eternity."

The massive doors swung shut, deafening in the small cell. Ametrine licked her lips eagerly; Captain Aleksy let his guard down during the conversation and forgot to reseal her mouth. Though she couldn't recite incantations without her head being severed from her body at any moment, the witch could still work her magic in other ways. But for now, her work was done. The madness in the guards' body would soon manifest into an out of control monster, spreading throughout the Coven and crippling their defenses. All she had to do was sit back and relax until the day of the trial.

This was going to be easier than she thought.

* * *

_With each step she took, Ametrine could feel the madness growing stronger and stronger. As soon as she had gone just a few feet into the forest, the trees had shifted and sealed the entrance behind her. Not like she actually wanted to leave; not with the powerful amount of madness pulsating from within, and the witch found herself relishing the sensation of madness washing over her. Her mind was still clear and sharp, something that couldn't be said of the Elite members, though their power levels were nowhere near Ametrine's. The trees began to clear and what looked like a small cabin was nestled in the center of them. It looked run down; a damaged roof caused by a fallen tree, the aged stone weathered down by time and rain, the front door tossed carelessly aside, moss covering nearly every inch of the house. In front of the old building looked to be a pile of…_

"_**Who dares willingly entering my domain?" **__A voice hissed from within the rundown cabin. __**"You…you are not affected by the madness?"**_

"_I am not, unlike my fellow witches who have fallen prey to such power." Ametrine stopped short of the stone wall surrounding the cabin, eyeing the rotting pile of corpses in the front yard with disgust. "I am not here to vanquish you, nor am I permitting you to continue harnessing power from passerby. I wish to make a deal that will benefit us both."_

_The air began to ripple, and the witch readied herself, hands clenched and ready to release a powerful attack. The darkness blasted from the within the cabin and surrounded Ametrine, powerful winds turning the madness into a tornado. It sliced at her clothing as the madness tried to infiltrate her body any way it could._

"_**And what makes you think I want to make a deal? What could you possibly offer me apart from a more powerful body?" **__A figure emerged from the rapid gale, unseeing eyes a pitch black as it effortlessly floated towards her._

"_I see you've met my fellow witch Evanora Killgorne. Not a bad choice for a strong body," Ametrine grit out as she stared at the former body of Evanora. "I can offer you something that no one has before; a strong body __**and**__ freedom. If I become your host, then I will help to spread the madness far and wide, even to the Human Realm. Your master, Asura, has been sealed away by Lord Death for nearly four hundred and fifty years already. Become one with me; together we can spread the madness to the ends not just the Witches Realm, but to the Human Realm as well!"_

_The gales suddenly died out and Ametrine lowered the arm shielding her face. Evanora stood there studying her, the emptiness in her eyes boring through the witch's soul. It seemed to be pondering the deal, crossing her arms and tapping her fingers rhythmically._

"_**What do you want in return? Your offer seems to have a catch,"**_

"_I want to know everything there is about the madness and how to control it. But there will be rules that you will have to abide by if you want to spread your madness across the planes," Ametrine felt her heart pounding against her chest as she carefully thought over her next words. "One; you must remain hidden until called upon to avoid suspicions. Two; You are not to fully control me unless given consent. Three; I want you to assist me in eliminating any threats to my power. Seeing as I'm the Mother of the Coven, these rules are non-negotiable. If it's found out that I'm carrying madness, I'll be executed on sight."_

_The creature seemed to mull over the offer, chewing on her lips thoughtfully. Taking a closer look, the witch noticed how rotten the body had become; skin was peeling away in blackened chunks, teeth had all but fallen out from rot, hair was thin and frail. Even her clothes were tattered and filthy, like they had never been washed. It was like something out of a nightmare and Ametrine doubted she could ever erase the memory from her mind._

"_**Mother of the Coven, you say? My, that certainly is a high title. Tell you what," **__Evanora's face was suddenly inches from Ametrine's, a sinister rotten grin on her face. It took everything in her power to stay still and stare down the black abyss without fear. __**"I think you've got yourself a deal, Ametrine, Mother of the Coven."**_

_A crooked grin adorned Ametrine's face as she grasped Evanora's rotting hand, sealing the deal and her fate._

"_Let's get started then…partner."_

* * *

**I'm actually impressed I cranked out this chapter so quickly! Hopefully this story is lining up a little more now. Onto the next chapter!**


	8. A Past Revealed

**Here we go again! Seriously on a roll here. Who needs sleep anyways…**

* * *

The conversation with Kid went on for nearly three hours and by the time everyone left, Maka felt exhausted again. The dinner Tsubaki had made, though, was delicious; a rice dish with an omelet roll on top and various vegetables as sides. Soul had even fulfilled his promise of making cupcakes with little souls designs on top. The meister hadn't realized how hungry she was until Black Star pointed out she was on her fourth cupcake _after_ having two full plates of food. He promptly got a book thrown at his head, the crack satisfying to the scythe meister.

"Do you need any help in there, Soul?" Maka called to her partner as she laid out on the couch, too full to move. She could hear the dishes clinking together as he washed them.

"I'm almost done. Tsubaki cleaned up most of them before she left, so there's just the dishes you and I used."

Soul actually needed a distraction like cleaning the dishes after the conversation they had tonight. It was a serious matter that had everyone on edge, especially Kid. He hadn't seen the Shinigami so serious since the battle with Asura on the moon all those years ago. Of course, when a powerful witch somehow managed to infiltrate Shibusen and then attack a 3-Star meister, who had advanced Soul Perception abilities, without warning, everyone was bound to be on edge. For now, the school was on lock down until repairs could be made so the students were given a few weeks to relax. Soul almost envied them for being able to be so carefree while him and the others were about to engage in another war. Drying off the last dish, he set it back in the cabinet before tossing off the frilly pink apron and shuffling his way back into the living room.

Maka cracked an eye to look at him before sitting up, giving him space to sit behind her. He took it and settled himself against the arm of the couch, letting his head roll back. His meister waited until he was settled before resting her back against him, grabbing his right arm to play with his hand.

"What are you thinking, Soul? I can tell you're worried," Maka said quietly as she fiddled with his fingers, running hers over each finger lightly. "Are you worried this is going to turn into another war?"

"There's no way it _won't _turn into another war, not with Ametrine attacking first. This isn't going to be like the battle with Asura; she's a witch more powerful than a Kishin and nearly blew you to bits with one hand." Soul ran his left hand through his messy locks. "I don't know how we're going to defeat her. We couldn't even handle that pre-Kishin in Russia, so how the hell are we supposed to beat a witch who's probably hundreds of years old and far more powerful?"

Maka stayed silent for a few minutes, wondering the same thing. The way Ametrine attacked, it was almost like there was something aiding her… Obviously she was a very powerful witch, but there was something different about her attacks. Something familiar, yet the meister couldn't put her finger on it. The way her eyes seemed to morph as she attacked…

"What if… what if someone or some_thing _was helping her…when I fought her, her eyes seemed to change…as if being influenced by something…"

The meister suddenly shot up as it came back to her, startling her weapon. She quickly spun around to face a surprised Soul on the couch, palms pressing into the cushion as she leaned forward.

"Madness! That's it! When we we're talking, she told me she was under the influence of Asura's madness. _That's _how she was even stronger!"

"So, she's also got the power of Asura's madness behind her?" Soul asked carefully as he watched his partner get up and start pacing around the living room, mumbling to herself. "Asura was sealed on the moon years ago; if she's being affected by the madness, wouldn't that part of her been sealed up along with him?"

"That would make sense…unless she somehow was in a place where it couldn't reach or only the main source was cut off and there still remains madness spread throughout the world…." Maka began chewing on her lip as she tried putting the puzzle pieces together. "Asura was sealed for eight hundred years, right? So, and this is just a guess, what if she had somehow acquired his madness _before _he was sealed?"

"That would make her nearly a thousand years old. How long do witches live anyways?" Soul had sat up, resting his arms against his legs as he tried to comprehend the information. "There's no way a witch like her would be that old unless she found the fountain of youth or something."

Maka slowed her pacing, covering her mouth with a hand as she thought. Soul was right; very rarely did witches live to get even close to a thousand years old. There were probably a handful that had survived that long, or even longer, but a witch like Ametrine didn't seem anywhere close to that age. Nothing was adding up and it was making her irritated.

"Maybe it's better to just forget about it for tonight, I can feel you're getting tired again. Do you want some more tea?"

"That would be nice, thank you." Maka gave him a tired smile before moving to plop back down on the couch. It felt like all of the energy had been sapped from her body. Maybe it was just from having everyone over that drained her.

"We've only got green tea left, that fine?" Soul called over his shoulder.

"That sounds perfect," Maka replied as she rested against the arm of the couch, holding a pillow against her chest.

She was still sore, especially her shoulder, back and ribs, but her body would just have to heal itself. The black blood was really only good for healing life-threatening injuries, not bruises and tender muscles. Maka grit her teeth as she moved her shoulder wrong, a twinge of pain shooting down to her fingertips, the appendages tingling. Soul seemed to pick up on it and she could hear the pain reliever bottle rattling as he poured some out.

"It doesn't hurt that bad," Maka called to him as she shifted more comfortably on the couch, letting out a tired sigh. Soul would call her bluff immediately; she knew they were still resonating and that everything she felt, he felt.

"And I'm the Queen of England," Soul snorted lightly as he brought the tray into the living room, setting it down quietly on the table. "You really should work on your lies, Maka, you still suck at them."

"I'll try, _Your Highness._" Maka shot back with amusement.

"I could get used to being called that…"

"In your dreams, Soul. I'm never calling you that."

"That's _King Soul_ to you, Bookworm. I'll be expecting my crown by morning."

The meister rolled her eyes before grabbing the pain pills and the glass of water, quickly tossing both back. The tea was still steaming so she let it sit for a few minutes, resting her head against the couch. She squinted at the clock on the wall and it glared bright red, showing it was nearly five 'o clock in the afternoon. Glancing at her partner, she took in his ragged appearance as he sat with his head back, eyes closed. Soul looked like he hadn't slept in at least a few days judging by the dark circles under his eyes. His shirt was wrinkled far more than he ever allowed it to get, same with his pants. White locks were lacking their normal amount of gel, his hair in a more unkempt and wild style. Maka felt a pang of guilt as she watched his chest rise and fall slowly; he probably hadn't slept much while she was out cold. The meister watched her weapon as he slept, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around her legs.

'He always puts me first, even when he's clearly more exhausted…I feel like such a burden to him sometimes. Maybe that damn witch was right, maybe I am a useless partner…'

* * *

"_They certainly don't lie about the weather up here, do they." Ametrine grit her teeth as another strong wind came blasting down on her, snow blinding her vision. With a blast of magic, the size of her barrier extended, clearing another few feet of visibility._

_It was a serious risk coming all this way, especially in the winter, but there was no other choice. Now that she was a traitor to the Coven, Ametrine was exiled and thrown into the Human Realm to wander until death called for her. The witch grit her teeth at the memory, the anger still fresh nearly three hundred and fifty years later. Her reign lasted less than two decades thanks to her secret being spilled by accident. A young maid had opened the door to her room without warning, not realizing the powerful witch was in the middle of experimenting with the madness by infecting small creatures to see how they reacted. It was her gasping that broke the trance Ametrine was in and by the time she had spun around, the girl was sprinting down the hallway, screaming for the Council. The madness retreated and the Mother of the Coven was forced into trial, nearly the entire Coven in attendance._

_Besides the accusation of harnessing madness for personal gain and endangering the Coven, there were other witches calling upon the suspicious death of Mother Rosediah who had passed away while recovering. Ametrine kept her face neutral as the charges were read, the Council sneering down upon her from their pedestals. Her Mother of the Coven robes had been stripped from her, ragged prisoner clothes replacing it. Dirt covered her body head to toe and her normally pristine locks were tangled and dull. Celestina and Marilla sent her glances of distaste while Raine Moonfall refused to look at her. Cordelia, on the other hand, wore a mask of pure hatred, eyes nearly burning holes through the chained-up witch._

"_We, the Council of the Coven, hereby give the verdict upon the witch Ametrine Gorgon… guilty. You are hereby exiled from the Coven and the Witches Realm. Any last words before your banishment?" The crowd went deathly still as they waited with bated breaths._

_Ametrine slowly lifted her head, blazing locks uncovering her wild eyes. Bursting out laughing, the witches were taken aback at the behavior, unease settling over them as the witch began rolling on the floor. With a deep breath, the exiled witch calmed herself after a few minutes before staring right at Cordelia, madness swimming in her orbs._

"_You will all regret this day for centuries to come…the day I return here, you all will be slaughtered like the animals you are! There is no escaping Asura's madness…it's everywhere, in everything…you'll see…you'll all see!"_

"_Remove her from my court! Exile this psychotic witch from this Realm, never to return!" Cordelia screamed as Ametrine fell to the floor, laughing hysterically as the madness squirmed inside of her._

_The Elite squad quickly swooped in and yanked the witch up by her wrist chains, dragging her backwards from the courtroom while she kicked and screamed. Witches closest to the doors frantically scrambled away as she went by, fear driving their hearts to flee. Her screams dwindled down as she moved further down the hallway, the chamber still echoing softly. The Council remained silent as they stood up and left, exiting through a room behind the chairs. Slowly, but surely, the room began to empty, the witches nervous as they headed down the corridor._

_Ametrine was blindfolded and gagged as she was led through an underground tunnel system towards the outer edge of the Realm. There was a one-way portal specifically designed for banishing rogue witches that only the Council and the Elite team knew about. Four guards accompanied her as the Captain dragged her along, showing no mercy as she squirmed around in her chains._

"_I suggest you stop struggling, Fallen One, you're only hurting yourself." The Captain growled as he yanked the chains harder. Blood began to trickle down her arms, nearly gray in color._

_In a matter of thirty minutes, they had arrived at the doors of the portal room. With two guards stationed on either side of the doors and two on either side of Ametrine, the Captain raised a hand and a blast of magic hit a mechanism on the wall above the room. With a flash of light, the gears began to groan as they slid together, slowly pushing the heavy doors open._

"_Enjoy your life in the Human Realm, Ametrine Gorgon, for now it's your permanent home!"_

_The Captain roughly yanked her to her feet before giving her a swift whack on the back of her neck. Her body fell limp and he scooped her up before facing the crackling portal. The two guards on either side of her quickly removed the chains from her hands and feet, retreating against the wall. With inhuman strength, the Captain hoisted the witch up before hurtling Ametrine through the portal, electricity snapping aggressively as the doors were sealed shut once more._

_She had wandered through the world blindly; thankful that her magic was still intact and strong as ever. A young man had found her half submerged into a lake and pulled her from it, even going as far to nurse her back to health. Months went by and Ametrine cherished every moment with the man, sharing many passionate nights together. Soon, it seemed like their small family would grow by one more. At the news, the man had grown fearful as the witch began to glow, quite literally, from the effects of the pregnancy. He fled and never returned, leaving Ametrine to raise a child on her own. Her distaste for humans grew as a nearby village found out a witch was living near the sacred lake, raising a demon child. Forced to flee, she moved from country to country until landing in the United States, in a state called Nevada. Her child, Medusa, was a bright one, picking things up quickly, always studying about the madness from her mother's books. As soon as she was old enough, Ametrine set her free, watching with pride as her daughter paved her own future._

_There was no need to coddle someone so headstrong and brave who was ready to make her mark on the world. It pained her to see Medusa go, but it needed to be done. Most witches, once they turned a certain age, were set loose into the world to carve their own destinies. It was a tradition to see them off with pride and Ametrine was the proudest mother there ever was. Her older sister, Arachne, had done something similar to her when she turned of age, taking the place of their mother who had died shortly after her birth. It had been so many years ago, nearly a couple of hundred, and the witch had neither seen nor heard from her sibling. There was the passing rumor that Arachne had vanished from sight since both the Coven and Lord Death were hunting her down, but Ametrine couldn't verify any solid leads on it, instead choosing to mourn her disappearance as a loss of life._

_Ametrine's steps faltered as they snowstorm suddenly cleared, an eerie silence filling the frozen forest. She knew very little about the people hidden away deep in the Russian forest, but what she did know was that they were ruthless when it came to unwelcome guests. A few members on the Elite squads had been originally from this area, though they never spoke a word of their history or even their names. They all had the same characteristics though; piercing white eyes and nearly unparalleled ninja art skills and stealth. A sound caught her attention and she reinforced her magic just as a shuriken came whizzing through the air and pierced the shield. Wary orbs searched the area but found no visible attacker. She was in their element and it was a huge disadvantage during a battle. Getting on their bad side was the last thing on her mind…_

_Shadows suddenly appeared from behind the trees, their clothes matching the frozen tundra surrounding them. Ametrine swallowed hard as she counted a few dozen, possibly more due to their known level of stealth, and prepared to unleash her magic reserves in case. One lone ninja landed just outside of her barrier, piercing white eyes nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding snow._

"_You are not welcome here, stranger, turn around and leave before this place becomes your grave." The voice said roughly, though it was clearly feminine. "You have entered forbidden territory and by our rights, we have the authority to slay you where you stand."_

_Ametrine grit her teeth; the possibility of them listening to her was slim, but it was either that or die trying._

"_I do not wish to fight; I am here with a message from the God Asura himself!" The witch spoke strongly into the wintered woods as she threw her arms out wide. "I bring with me the wisdom and power of Asura, the madness to bring any enemy to their knees in an instant! I offer his gracious gift to you in exchange for cooperation."_

"_What would we desire from an outcast witch like yourself?" The ninja sneered from behind their mask. "We know of your history, witch Ametrine, and we want no part of your twisted ways!"_

"_How about you let me speak with your elders before you decide for them, girl," She could feel the madness squirming around eagerly inside of her, ready for the feast to begin. "You are not of a high enough ranking to make a decision yourself. I'll give you one last chance to take me to your elders; if you refuse, I'll simply release the madness and your men will be overcome with fear and begin to kill one another."_

_The two stared each other down, white into dark red, anger flaring wildly within their souls. Ametrine could feel the ninja's will breaking as she narrowed her eyes further before sending up a signal, her fingers moving too fast to see. Shadows began to retreat into the dense forest, becoming one with it once more. Their tracks were soon covered by the blowing snow, leaving no trace of their existence._

"_You will be given one chance to explain yourself to the Elders. If you try anything funny, you will be dead before you can think about taking your last breath. Follow."_

_Ametrine gave a mock bow before following the aggravated ninja, a smile on her lips. She always did love when a plan began to unfurl._

* * *

Maka felt stifled in the apartment, so she left Soul a quick note and kiss before heading out. The sun was low in the sky, his laughing face turning into a drowsy one as the meister slowly walked down the stone streets. Children were being called back home, their laughter filling the air as they raced each other. The streetlights began flickering on one by one, a low humming noise filling the air. It felt good to get outside; considering she hadn't been outside in nearly a week, this was refreshing. Soul would freak out if he knew she went out by herself, but he was so exhausted that he didn't even stir when she placed the blanket over him and brushed the hair from his face. Maka felt her heart flutter just thinking about him, how calm and peaceful he looked when he slept. He wasn't worried about any upcoming wars, her being unconscious, or even school in his dreams.

Her feet carried her to the familiar Square, the twisting Lord Death inspired fountain burbling loudly. Shops had turned on their outdoor lights, illuminating the area in a soft glow. Between the splashing of the water and the warm light, Maka felt herself relax a little more as she sat on the stone edge of the fountain. Couples were out on dates, laughing and flirting as they strode by in semi-formal clothing. Kids were running around while their parents were chatting over coffee. Even a violinist had started to play somewhere nearby, the music soft and enchanting. Closing her eyes, she sat there, absorbing all of the sounds around her, her chest losing some of its heaviness. She wasn't sure how long she was zoned out, but the peace ended sooner than she would have liked.

"You know, I'm not surprised you're here." Maka cracked an eye open at the voice.

Black Star stood in front of her with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, a solemn look on his normally cocky and arrogant face.

"Nothing wrong with getting fresh air," Maka replied as she patted the spot next to her before closing her eye. "I've been cooped up in that apartment for so long, I almost forgot what it was like outside."

The ninja remained silent as he sat down, folding his arms behind his head comfortably. It was comforting in a way to have him near, even with his eccentric soul wavelength. They had been friends for so long, words weren't needed to have a meaningful conversation anymore. But something about his demeanor tugged at Maka's mind and she turned to look at her friend.

"Something's on your mind, isn't it? You're not usually this quiet."

"You could've died, Maka…." Bulls-eye.

"I've heard that a lot, but oddly enough, it just doesn't seem to happen, does it? I should have known there was something off about that girl, but I just put it off as a yearning for Soul's attention."

"This isn't like any enemy we've had before, she's on a completely different level." Black Star dropped his arms as he shifted to look at her. "Especially because she's in cahoots with that ninja clan in Russia."

"Cahoots? I don't think you've ever said that word, Black Star, your vocabulary is really improving." Maka snickered lightly but went quiet as he stared at her, not an ounce of amusement on his face. She looked down at her lap before continuing, absentmindedly picking invisible fuzz off her pants. "I still don't understand how the two are connected. There was Asura's madness seeping from that creature; Asura is still sealed on the moon thanks to Chrona, so why is it like he's broken free? Ametrine said she had Asura's madness in her, but that level of control over it means it wasn't something that happened overnight."

"I looked into it," Black Star interrupted, causing the blonde meister to look up. "That ninja clan? Apparently, they have ties to the Witches Realm, more specifically, the Coven. Seems some of their members were enlisted to be part of an 'Elite' team meant to be backup security for the higher members of society. They also were used as disposal teams, secretly removing corrupt witches from the realm entirely."

"So, the witches have a steady history with the ninjas…there has to be more to it than that, Black Star, something that motivated them to work together. I doubt there is anyone in the Coven willing to give up information about their 'Elite' teams." Maka watched as he leaned forward, pressing his elbows into his thighs as he thought.

"We're not sure; any record we tried to find on it, never gave anything more than a name and a very brief history. Tsubaki and I were thinking of taking that mission to investigate the area, see what we can find. Might be easier to fight ninja to ninja." A little bit of cockiness surfaced as he wiggled his eyebrows and Maka let out a small laugh.

"Mifune wasn't enough of a challenge for you?"

"Not for the Great Black Star! No samurai can defeat me!"

"…except you were beaten by him…."

"You know, it would probably be easier to have you with us. Soul Perception and all that," Black Star casually suggested as he stretched his arms out, ignoring her remark. "Not sure if you'd want to go back to that Hell-hole though after that beating you took."

"If it will help take that witch out, I'm in." Maka agreed instantly, rounding on the ninja was determined eyes. "I don't care how many pre-Kishins I have to punch to find her. The pain she's caused," The meister clenched her fist over her heart. "I can't forgive it. I'll defeat her just like Arachne and Medusa; I'll take her soul."

A rough hand ruffled her hair and she puffed her cheeks in annoyance, glaring up at the blue-haired ninja.

"Good to see you back to normal, Bookworm. Save that energy for the real battlefield."

The two fell back into a comfortable silence, watching as the once brightly shining moon rose clouded in madness, the nights becoming eerily dark. A low wind swept through and Maka shivered, wrapping her arms around her petite frame. She hadn't thought to grab a jacket and it came back to bite her as the night fell. Black Star suddenly stood up and offered a hand, a childish grin on his face.

"C'mon, I'll buy you an ice cream cone, like old times. Vanilla?" Maka took his hand, returning the smile as she was pulled up.

"Vanilla."

* * *

**This one took a little longer due to rewriting it a few times. Had to go back and adjust the earlier chapters so they made sense for the future ones. The previous chapters will be adjusted as well, I keep going back through to make sure they line up throughout the story.**


	9. Battle of the Ninja

**It may take a little longer for episodes since I'm getting slower on ideas. I appreciate all the support so far though! Thank you! *GRAPHIC WARNING***

* * *

Maka grimaced as she once again braved the cold of Russia, the chill hitting her bones as soon as they had stepped off the charter plane. It had only been just over a month since returning to Death City and the meister missed the warmth of the desert already. Tsubaki seemed fine with the cold but Black Star…

"_It's so cold my nuts are practically in my throat!" _The ninja screamed as they began the trek back to Innopolis, birds fleeing in surprise from the surrounding trees.

"Maybe it'll shut you up for once!" Maka hissed as she threw a snowball at him, just missing him. "You don't know who or _what_ is nearby, so I suggest you hurry up and choke already!"

Soul snickered as he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, watching as Black Star opened his mouth to speak but changed his mind once getting a stern look from his partner. It still amazed the weapon how fast the obnoxious ninja could be shut up without any spoken words from his partner.

"Maka's right, Black Star, there could be enemies around us so it would be better to remain silent. Dissolve in the darkness and erase your breath." How she put up with him was beyond the scythe meister, but there was no one better suited to shut him up.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Black Star muttered back as he clasped his hands behind his head.

They had been dropped off within about a mile of the small town, due to the lack of drivers for the snowmobiles. Luckily it was a rare partially sunny day, the snow reflecting brightly as they crunched through it. Maka wondered if the nice Inn lady was still there or if she had left after the pre-Kishin had been defeated. It was nice to feel a mother's embrace after so many years of not having one. Her mother had sent a few more postcards over the years, but there usually wasn't anything written on them, just pictures of the places she was. Maybe she would just check using Soul Perception, to see if she, or the others, were still inhabitants of the area. Taking a deep breath in, the meister slowed her steps to a halt, eyes closing as she sensed for the familiar soul. She could clearly see Soul, Tsubaki, and Black Star, so she pushed further out, spreading her scan far and wide.

"What's up, Maka?" Soul and Tsubaki stopped walking as Black Star addressed the stilled meister. "Sense something close?"

Maka's eyes shot open and she stared forward with wide eyes, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. Soul was at her side in an instant, trying to divert her attention to him, hands on either side of her face.

"Maka, what's wrong? Hey, look at me."

"They're gone…" She whispered, looking into Soul's worried eyes. "The souls, they're…there's a faint one left, we need to hurry!" The meister pushed past them and began to sprint, hair flying wildly behind her. Without a second thought the others followed.

Tsubaki transformed as did Soul, the weapons being caught with ease by their meisters. Soul shortened his blade and wings began to grow on either side of the scythe, Maka swinging her leg over without losing her pace. Black Star had activated Shadow Star form, easily keeping pace with the flying meister. Soon, Innopolis came into view on the horizon, the shambled buildings still standing.

"_What are you sensing, Maka?" _Soul asked as they slowed upon entering the town, coasting over the snow with ease.

"Nadia…"

"_The woman from the Inn? Is she –"_

Maka suddenly slid from the scythe and willed it to change its form, the wings dissolving away to reveal the death scythe blade. Something was _very_ wrong here. The buildings mostly looked the same on the outside as a few weeks ago, but there was a strange heavy aura hanging over the town. The two meisters walked cautiously through the town, eyes peeled for danger. As they approached the Inn, it looked far worse in shape than before; practically the entire second floor had caved in on itself, roof shingles piled on either side of the dilapidated building. Windows were blown out, shredded curtains snagging on any remaining shards of glass as they billowed violently from the wind. Piles of snow had drifted in through the windows, covering anything in its path with fresh powder. A flash caught Maka's attention and she turned to stare at the Inn with narrowed eyes. A familiar soul, fading fast…

"Whatever you need to do, Maka, we'll cover it." Black Star landed next to his childhood friend, eyes scanning the area. "Even I can feel something isn't right here. Now get going," Maka nodded before sprinting towards the Inn, a sinking feeling in her gut.

With a heavy kick, the old wooden door caved in and landed softly in a pile of snow, sending a cloud of the substance floating into the air. It was weak, but she could feel the soul just ahead, back towards where the showers were. Part of the second floor had collapsed onto the first, making it more of an obstacle course than the meister expected. Luckily, she was still thin enough to squeeze between two fallen beams, though her hips seemed to snag for a few moments in the small space. The closer she got, the more her heart pounded heavily against her rib cage. Nothing was making sense; why had the town suddenly become even more worn down and decayed in a matter of weeks? What happened to the remaining villagers?

"_Maka, something doesn't feel right here." _Soul warned. _"Be on your guard."_

Glass crunched under her boots as she cautiously weaved and ducked around debris, jagged wooden beams snagging at her thick jacket as she passed. The doorway to the showers was still intact, albeit the frame was painfully bowed down by the weight of the second story. Movement caught her attention and she swiftly swung the scythe to her front, the blade gleaming dangerously.

"Show yourself."

"Deti? Is…is that you?" A weak voice spoke from beneath a pile of rubble in the corner. "Maka…and Soul?"

"Nadia! Are you alright? What happened here?" Maka rushed to the pile of rubble, falling to her knees as Soul transformed back to help shovel the debris away. "Where is the rest of the town?"

"Deti…there were more creatures…they were waiting for you to leave…please, leave me and go…it's a trap…" Nadia wheezed out, a wet cough following.

"More creatures? How many can there be?" Soul grunted as he tossed a larger chunk of wood behind him. "Nadia, what happened to the rest of the villagers?"

It became quiet and both meister and weapon shared a panicked look, tossing the debris as fast as they could. As her body became visible, Maka gasped in horror and Soul clenched his jaw tightly. A piece of rebar had pierced through her abdomen and was jutting out through her back at a weird angle, dried blood soaked into her clothing. Her head was resting on her left arm while her right arm had been crushed by the debris. Fresh blood was trickling from her lips, plopping softly onto her arm.

"Oh…oh no…Nadia, please, talk to me…" Maka whispered as she shakily brushed bloody clumped hair away from the woman's face. "Please, answer me…"

Slowly, Nadia's eyes opened. The light was fading fast from them, her soul flickering as its flame was extinguishing. She shifted her arm from under her head and awkwardly reached for the meister, her stiff fingers locked in place. Maka softly grabbed her hand, holding it firmly as tears spilled down her face, emerald eyes filled with despair.

"I am glad…to have met you…Maka, Soul…I wish to see my family now. Know that my…my love will follow and protect you…protect her with your life, Soul…and know your love makes each other stronger…I love you, _moya doch', moy syn._" With a final shaky breath, Nadia passed, a small smile on her face as unseeing eyes stared into space.

Maka let out a sob as the hand she was holding fell limp, the warmth quickly evaporating in the frigid air. With care, the meister gently laid her hand down on the rubble. Shaking fingers lightly closed her eyelids, giving her a more peaceful appearance. Strong arms wrapped around her and she crumbled into them, sobbing against Soul. The weapon held his meister as she cried silently, red eyes drifting to the peaceful expression on Nadia's face. His vision watered and a few tears slipped down his face. She was like the mother neither of them had; she fed them, groomed them, comforted them, showed them love and treated them like her own children. The grief was like a knife through the heart, but there was some comfort in knowing she was reunited with her real family.

The cold was soon biting at their faces, the tears nearly freezing to their skin. Maka was still clutched against his chest, fists knotted in his coat as she grieved, her chest shaking with hiccups. Soul knew they needed to move, to get out of the cold, but with her sitting against him heartbroken…

"Soul, Maka! Get the hell out here, we've got company!" Black Star yelled into the building ruins, his voice echoing loudly in the rooms. "Looks like those creatures are back for round two!"

"We need to go, Maka, can you stand?" Soul asked gently as he grabbed her arms and pushed her back, her eyes and face red from crying. "You can grieve later; now you've got the chance to make sure she rests in peace by killing those things. All those people were killed because of these creatures, we can't let them have died in vain."

It took her a moment, but the meister slowly looked up at her partner, green eyes shining with pain. He was right, like always; with a small nod, they stood close together, foreheads touching as their fingers intertwined. She could feel the grief shifting towards anger as Soul gave her strength, green locking with red. He gave her a crooked grin as his body began to dissolve, the smooth shaft of the scythe resting firmly in her hands.

"_Let's go…Soul Resonance!"_

* * *

They were fast, Black Star admitted, but not fast enough for the shadow ninja. With ease he sped past them, slicing them with Shadow Star Zeroth From: Masamune Infinity. By the time he had emerged at the back of the hoard, the creatures gave out agonized screams as they were split in half, bodies exploding into thick black particles. More were crawling from out of houses, over roofs, and even digging themselves out from deep snow drifts. With a grin, the ninja launched himself forward, letting out a battle cry as he aimed for the center of the wave.

Maka stood on the remnants of the Inn roof, _Demon Hunter_ humming silently in her hands as she watched the battle. The black blood had been activated, and her thick winter attire faded away to reveal a tight strapless black dress, matching gloves adoring her arms. After Soul had ascended to Death Scythe status, the black blood armor had changed, even years after the battle with Asura, and it had become almost like a second skin. Black heels covered her feet, ribbon straps intertwining themselves around her calf. Winged hair accessories fit perfectly on top of her pigtails, giving off an intimidating factor to her outfit. Green eyes followed the blue haired ninja as he bowled through the waves of creatures using Shadow Star techniques left and right.

"_Can't let him have all the fun, Maka," _Soul casually mentioned. _"These ones look smaller than the first one. Shall we?"_

"_I'll lead this time." Maka said as she placed her hands in the proper dancing position on Soul._

"_Taking charge now, are we?" The weapon's grin grew as a light blush appeared on the meisters face. "Alright then, lead the dance."_

_The music was the same; a slow classical composition that had played hundreds of times over the years, almost becoming white noise to the pair as they swung. The little demon was nowhere to be seen, most likely hiding behind the closed door in the corner. He hadn't been seen or heard from in weeks, not since Maka was floating in the darkness. Usually the little bastard spent most of his time taunting Soul as it was his main source of entertainment._

"_I haven't seen the little demon," Maka commented as she twirled away from Soul, his hand guiding her back to his chest. "For a few weeks at least."_

"_He's probably hiding behind that door. If this room still exists, he's still here somewhere." Soul's eyes shifted to rest on the door. It almost looked like the door was slightly cracked open…_

"_You remember everything from that night, don't you, Soul?" Maka suddenly stopped, watching the floor with high interest. "What he said about the black blood? And that __**creature**__…"_

_Soul looked down at his partner, watching as she nervously chewed on her lip. He remembered that night clearly, the memory burned into his mind. Just her mentioning it brought back a flash of the creature, holding her by the throat before plunging its claws into her stomach. It made his stomach churn at the memory, a heavy feeling gripping his chest tightly._

"_We were resonating at the time…so yeah, I did see it."_

"_I don't think that was just a nightmare, Soul, I think it was a premonition of sorts. Maybe it's connected to everything that's been happening lately. There's no other explanation I can think of."_

_The weapon could feel the turmoil of emotions swirling around in his meister, his own soul mirroring them. When she was unconscious, she would have the same nightmare about the creature; each and every time it would torment her before killing her a different way each time. Claws through her chest, through her heart, slicing her throat, even going as far to decapitate her at one point. It made him sick; he couldn't even wake her up to stop the nightmare, instead grabbing her hands and holding them tight as she struggled. He wasn't sure how many hours of sleep he had gotten while she was out, staying by her side until Blair kicked him out to eat or shower._

"_Do you remember any of the nightmares you had when you were unconscious?" Soul asked suddenly, surprising his meister._

"_I don't think so, why? Did something happen?"_

**_*~B~*_**

Maka leapt from the rooftop, Demon Hunter spinning effortlessly in her hands as she dove for the horde of creatures. With a fire burning in her soul, the meister let out an angry scream as she swung the scythe, tearing through their bodies as if they were paper. Over and over she swung, her veins burning as she slayed everything in her path. A thick black ash began to blanket the area as the two meisters exterminated the pre-Kishins, slaying each and every vile monster that lunged for them.

"_Is this what you and Maka fought last time, Soul?" _Tsubaki called from her Shadow Star Second Form. _"They're like nothing I've ever seen."_

"_Yeah, but these are smaller than the one we fought. Even with the Black Blood, we were struggling." _Soul grimaced as Maka caught a claw across her arm, blood spraying into the air.

"Oi, Maka!" Black Star called out as he easily dodged deadly claws before blasting his soul wavelength into the back of his attacker. "Wanna see who kills more of these things? I'll bet you a week's worth of ice cream!"

"You're seriously trying to make a bet right now? In the middle of all _this_?" Maka yelled over the horrendous death screams. "Make it two weeks and I'm already at thirty-seven kills!" With a quick swish of her blade, another three creatures exploded into oblivion. "Correction; forty!"

"HA! I'm at fifty-five! You'll never catch up to the great Black Star!" The ninja cackled before upping his slaying, eyes gleaming with joy as he took on the challenge.

_***~B~***_

"_You realize he'll probably now destroy everything in his path, right? You'll be buying him sundaes every day." Soul pointed out as they resumed their swaying across the red and black tiles._

"_He's got the energy for it right now, so why not let him have his fun?" Maka shrugged as she rested her head against his chest._

_She never told him, but her shoulder was still killing her from the previous battle. He wouldn't have let her jump in so recklessly had he known she was still recovering. It was probably just a pulled muscle or something. It would be healed within a few more days with a hot compress and rest, though swinging around the scythe as recklessly as she was right now was probably not the smartest idea._

"_He's never going to live this down," Soul drawled on as he clasped his hands around her waist, resting his chin on sandy locks. "I can already hear him kicking the door down screaming for his reward."_

"_Guess we'll have to do more missions to keep up with his atrocious appetite." They swayed back and forth, embracing one another as the music became white noise in the background._

_Soul was hesitating to bring up the nightmares Maka had no remembrance of, not wanting to think about them himself. The way her face was warped in agony and surprise, tears streaming down her face as she silently screamed. The creature standing in front of her with a mirror image of the meister, a sinister grin showing jagged teeth that oozed acidic slime. Even now he could barely get a full night's rest without seeing at least one of those images and he always shot straight up in bed, drenched in sweat._

_Curiosity poked at his soul and he broke from his thoughts to see his partner staring up at him with a notched brow._

"_You haven't been responding to my questions. Is everything alright?"_

"_Just thinkin', that's all." He gave her a toothy grin, but she looked right through it as she placed her hands on her hips and gave him a stern look. Guess they were talking about it now. He sighed. "I asked you earlier about those nightmares, right?"_

"_If I remembered them, yeah. I don't have any memory of them for some reason." Maka relaxed a little as she turned and slowly strolled towards the lone chair in the room, tucking her dress under her as she sat. "Everything is hazy when I try to recall what they were. Sometimes I get a sharp headache when I push it too hard."_

_Soul took a seat on the edge of the piano bench, sitting just a few feet from her as he studied her expression. Her brows were knitted together as she racked her memory._

"_I think there's a reason why you can't remember them, Maka. Your mind doesn't want to relive the trauma." Maka gave him a strange look and Soul just laced his fingers together, looking everywhere but at her. "I…know what they were. I saw them when I touched you trying to wake you up. They're…not something you want to remember, trust me on that. I can't get the images out of my head, no matter what I've tried."_

"_Soul…"_

"_Every night it was something different, a different way you…you died. That creature was the one who did it, killing you while wearing your own face—"_

"_**Soul…**__"_

"_I couldn't stop it, Maka, I couldn't save you no matter how hard I tried to wake you up. You were screaming…Kami, the screaming…"_

_Gloved hands suddenly pulled at his face and he jerked up in surprise, his vision watery as green eyes locked on his. When had he started crying?_

"_Soul, breathe. It's okay, I'm here, I'm alive. That thing won't get to me, I promise you." Maka carefully wiped away his tears with her thumbs, giving him all the time in the world to compose himself again. "As long as we're together, we can overcome anything. I'm with you, no matter where you go."_

_Soul snorted as he grabbed her hands, kissing each of her fingertips softly before bringing her closer and closing the distance between them._

"_Using my own words against me? Not cool, Maka, not cool." Maka giggled as they parted, faces flushed._

"_I figured I would need them someday, so I kept them. Seems I was right."_

"_Such a bookworm,"_

* * *

There was no end to the hordes of hybrids, overflowing from the trees and deep snowbanks surrounding the town. Black Star was still going full blast, darting through the sea of creatures faster than the blink of an eye. The area had become covered in the black powdered substance, turning the once pure white snow to an ugly decaying gray. Maka was struggling, surrounded on all sides by snarling jaws and sharp claws. All she could do was stay defensive, whirling her scythe around in an attempt to get some space between them. Her arms and legs were sliced up from fast attacks, drying trails of black blood coating her porcelain skin. A few lucky shots had even hit her face, a cut above her right eyebrow dripping blood into her eye.

"_Maka, we have to get out of this, there's no way to fight against them." _Soul called out; his voice strained. _"You're going to get torn to pieces if this keeps going."_

"I don't exactly have many options right now, Soul, so just keep up the defensive until there's an opening." Maka grit her teeth as one creature lunged, its claws mere centimeters from her eye as she bent over backwards to avoid it. "Where the hell is Black Star? Could use his help right about now!"

"Don't worry, Maks, the great Black Star is here to save the day!" A massive blast of soul wavelength slammed into the horde of creatures; their agonized screams cut short as they evaporated into thick black particles.

"_Perfect timing as always,"_

"Of course, Soul! To be honest though," The ninja's cocky grin slid from his face as he backed up against Maka, Tsubaki in chain mode. "This is getting old real fast. How many of these things _are_ there?"

"I don't know, but I'm really sick of it. If there's this many in the area, that ninja clan probably has something to do with it."

"_Maka, how are you holding up? You look out of breath," _Tsubaki asked the meister, brows knitted in concern.

"I'll be fine, just getting started." Maka wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, anger still burning within as she panted. It didn't matter how many they sent; she would avenge Nadia and the others even if it took all night.

"Back again, are we? With backup this time, it seems."

It suddenly went silent as the creatures backed away a few feet, turning their gazes behind the duo. A familiar soul flashed in Maka's mind and she whirled around to see the mysterious ninja standing on a dilapidated roof, arms crossed over his chest.

"You…"

"The one and only, Ms. Albarn. Ah, and you must be infamous Black Star, correct?" The man stared at Black Star with interested eyes, studying every detail of the blue-haired teen. "I've heard stories of your abilities. I must say, very impressive that you can nearly match the power of a Shinigami."

"Who the _fuck_ are you? Some sort of wannabe ninja or some bullshit?" The meister sneered at the new enemy; there was something about him that set the hairs on the back of his neck to attention.

"_Black Star, he's part of the hidden ninja clan deep in the mountains." _Tsubaki said quietly before transforming back, standing a few steps in front of her meister. "I'm well aware of your clan's history and background, including your connection with the Kishin Asura."

"Nakatsukasa Tsubaki. Daughter of Sanjuro Nakatsukasa, younger sister of Masamune Nakatsukasa. Member of the Nakatsukasa Clan. You're a Demon Shadow weapon…I know all about your history as well." The unnamed man studied her with an unknown emotion, tapping his fingers on his arm as he thought. "You killed your own brother as he was on the path to becoming a Kishin and absorbed his soul, gaining the Uncanny Sword abilities. My, my, what a _special_ one you are."

"I suggest you keep your eyes to yourself before I rip them out of your skull," Black Star threatened as he pulled his weapon behind him, eyes murderous.

"Such a temper! You must truly love your partner. Ms. Albarn, I assume you're here in order to search for the hidden ninja clan up in the mountains, correct? Well, unfortunately for you, that won't be possible at this current time."

Maka released Soul as he reverted back, emerald eyes staring into snow white ones. Judging by how the creatures backed off, they either feared him or were awaiting his next order. Her heart was racing as the gravity of the situation hit her, mind quickly formulating a new plan of attack.

"And why would that be? Planning on stopping us or are you going to run away again like the coward you are." Venom dripped from each word, hatred brewing deep in her belly once more as she glared him down. "What's your connection with the witch Ametrine? Why are you creating armies of pre-Kishin creatures and using the local residents as their food?"

"Hmm, so you know about that witch. I shouldn't be surprised, really, but this just makes the world seem a little smaller. And I'm sure you would _love_ to know what we're planning, but that's not up to me to give an answer." The master ninja shrugged as he vanished from the roof. "I'm merely here for the entertainment; these mountains do get very boring in the wintertime, so I needed something to cheer me up. And what better way than to give a demonstration?"

Maka felt his soul spike behind her and she whirled around, fist ready to pummel his face in. Only as soon as she turned, she froze, fist still clenched mid-air. It wasn't him standing behind her…

"Nadia…" The frozen corpse of the woman was floating a few feet away from the meister, stray drops of blood staining the snow beneath her. Seeing the full extent of her gruesome injuries, Maka bit back the bile creeping up her throat.

"The poor woman, first she lost her husband and child to that pre-Kishin you so kindly killed, and then dies a horrible death of being crushed beneath the very Inn she thought of as a second home. Do you know why she was the only one left in the town when you entered? Why there were no other souls in the vicinity?" With a snap of his fingers, the bloodied and broken corpse of Nadia began to twitch violently.

Bones snapped into shards as flesh and muscle tore like paper, congealed blood plopping into the snow in grotesque chunks as her body expanded and twisted. The blackened ground around them seemed to throb as the pieces of body hit, translucent tendrils soon emerging, snatching any and every chunk of flesh they could. If she wasn't frozen in fear at the sight before her, Maka was sure her stomach would be emptying itself right now. The others were watching with wide eyes, Black Star even going as far as covering Tsubaki's eyes. Soul cursed under his breath, his jaw clenched as he slightly stood in front of his meister, arm transformed into a blade.

"Nadia here was being used as _bait_ to lure you here, back to Innopolis, so you could witness for yourself what happens when you combine the power of Asura's madness and the ancient arts of the Hidden Shadow Ninja Clan. Behold; your 'pre-Kishin' has been born!"

A strong wind picked up as the black flakes shot from the ground and into the mangled corpse that now dangled high in the air, the wind soon becoming a strong tornado that nearly threw the students into the woods behind them. Maka felt paralyzing fear grip her heart as the flashes soon came back to her. The creature, the one that had tormented her in the black haze, killing her in agonizing ways, flooded her mind and her legs gave out. A heavy ringing filled her ears as she remembered the way the creature spoke, its putrid breath hitting her in the face like a brick wall; she could almost _feel_ the wounds throbbing all over her body, the blood pouring over her lips and down her chin as a mirrored face grinned manically down at her. The claws puncturing her organs, shredding bone and tissue and nerves like they were nothing, the pain nothing like she had ever felt before. All she could do was scream silently as her body was ripped into chunks flesh and bone, blood spraying like a hose into the air. Someone was shouting her name, shaking her shoulders violently but all Maka could do was stare at the familiar creature standing in front of them, putrid saliva spewing from between its jagged teeth and onto the frozen tundra beneath.

"What…what the fuck is _that_…" Black Star sputtered as he took a step back, holding his arm over his mouth as the stench hit him. "Fucking hell, that thing is _nasty_. Maka, is this the…Maka?"

Maka was slouched over on the ground, hands digging into the snow as her frame shook violently, heavy uneven breaths forced from her lungs. Soul was shaking her, trying to get her to respond but to no avail. Her sobs hit the ninja's ear and he felt his lips curling into a snarl, holding his hand out towards his partner.

"So, that's what happened…Tsubaki." The weapon nodded while transforming back, taking on Shadow Star Zeroth form. The meister slid into an attack stance as his shadow morphed into a wispy scarf, twitching angrily in the winter wind.

"Oh, interesting! This must be a fairly strong attack." The white ninja watched in awe from his original resting spot, crouching down on the shambled roof with ease. An intense aura of murder triggered his senses and he tensed up, his body telling him to escape. Black Star barely turned to look at him out of the corner of his eye, his pupils turning a dull yellow as they morphed into a star shape.

"_You're the one who hurt my friend. After I kill this thing, __**your head is mine.**__"_

* * *

**Holy. Crap. Black Star snapping is not something you want to deal with. Ninja dude gonna get it now. Updates may be a little further in between as I'm handling a friend's recent death and having trouble focusing. Thank you all for the support so far. So the breaks I'm entering in Word aren't showing up here like I wanted, so I have to go back through and adjust them so certain section seperate.**


	10. Release the Madness

**Hope you guys are still enjoying the story! Updates, as said previously, will be slowed down again, so just be prepared.**

* * *

Being summoned by the Elders meant it wasn't for some friendly talk and tea. Those who were called upon rarely ever returned normal; some quickly packed up in the middle of the night and left without a trace, while others never spoke again, eyes always keeping to the ground. As Viktor Leonidovich made his way to the sanctum, he could feel the piercing stares of his fellow ninjas following him. Looks of pity and worry radiated off of their white-clad bodies, rumors soon spreading behind covered mouths. He ignored them. Let them talk; there was nothing better for them to do anyways and it kept them lively through the harsh winter.

The familiar weathered red four-story temple came into view and the ninja swallowed hard as he began the climb up the ancient stone stairs to the entrance. Two guards on either side swapped glances before stepping aside, allowing him to pass through the ornate doorway. There, in the center of the temple, sat the Elders, a large fire reading ceremony in the process. Quietly removing his shoes in favor of slippers, Viktor made his way to the open cushion waiting for him, stopping just before the edge of the pit to bow before the Elders.

"Rise, _rodnoy brat." Brother._

Viktor rose, bowed again, before moving to take the cushion closest to him. The Elders were comprised of the three most knowledgeable members of the clan. At the head of the table was Flyorova Aleksandra Vladislavovna, the current Clan Master's first-born daughter. Just below her was Dimitri Stanislavovich, who was the first-born son of the Clan Master's second in command, Yashin Rodion Stanislavovich. And last but not least, was the third in command Zefirov David Igorevich, who was the third-born son of the clan Treasurer, Nadezhda (Nadya) Igorevich. Due to the deaths of her first two born in a battle between two clans, Nadezhda only had her third-born to offer to the previous Elders.

The previous Elders would hold testing every year for potential candidates to take over their positions when they reached the age limitation. Those who passed the first round were given continuously hard testing, both mental and physical, until there were three left. If they continued to pass the Elders' exams, they would then spend the next ten years learning the clan ways and history in order to successfully take over. Normally the highest-ranking members of society, mainly those with connections to the Clan Master, would start training their children from an early age to get an advantage over the rest of the villagers. Only a handful of Elders' had been just normal villagers, much to the distaste of the higher-ups, but they had beyond proven they were born to lead.

Coming from a normal family, Viktor was never forced to learn day and night in hopes of becoming an Elder, though his father trained him rigorously in the ninja arts. As he grew older, he had surpassed the other kids in his class with his physical prowess and was taken under the wing of the dojo master. Training with the master was worse than any punishment he had been through with his father. Often, he was left bleeding and gasping for breath at the end of each day, his sensei showing no mercy to the young child. Years of the harsh physically and mentally tolling training had paid off, and Viktor received the honor of becoming the captain of the Elite team that provided security to the Mother of the Coven in the Witches Realm. Very few had been given the title and everywhere he went, he was treated like a hero by his fellow townspeople. After providing security for nearly fifteen years, he was called back by the Elders regarding a top-secret matter. Once he made it back safely and met with the Elders, his target was to observe a DWMA student named Maka Albarn, a 3-star Death Scythe meister who wielded the last Death Scythe created. She was believed to be in the area, looking into the pre-Kishin sightings and villager disappearances.

* * *

_Watching the girl and her scythe enter the nearly barren town of Innopolis was interesting, to say the least. From the information he had been given, this small girl wielded not only the Death Scythe, but the ability to use Soul Perception and carried an anti-demon wavelength. To say she was dangerous was an understatement. Opting for complete stealth, the ninja waited until she was lined up with the abandoned hut he was waiting in before releasing a shuriken through the window. With a slim margin of error, and some incredible luck, the meister barely dodged the full force of the weapon. Viktor readied another one as she zeroed in on the general direction, waiting a breath before releasing it. Again, a slim margin of error as she jerked her head back, avoiding the deadly points._

"_DEMON HUNTER!"_

_The blade shifted at her will and the ninja felt his eyes widen in awe; until he realized the blade was about to come slicing through his hideout and hastily jumped through the crumbled walls. The snow exploded into the air, causing a thick whiteout. Using it to his advantage, the ninja unsheathed a kunai before flinging it towards the girl. Judging by the sound it made, it missed its target, though not by much. The snow crunched down, and he prepared for a close-range attack, a kunai in either hand ready to block. Unfortunately for him, he miscalculated and swiftly received a powerful kick to his abdomen, sending him staggering backwards. His mask disguised all but his pallid eyes, concealing the excited grin teasing his lips. It had been so long since someone had managed to land a hit on him, and it made his adrenaline pump faster. The air suddenly whooshed and the dangerously sharp blade of the scythe nearly sliced him open, its attacks relentless as it pushed him further back._

_Swinging his blade down, a loud clang resounded as metal collided against metal. The meister grunted against the force, finding the strength to push him back with a yell. The loose snow caused the ninja to tumble backwards as his foot slipped, correcting his fall with back handspring. With a quick spin, his foot collided against her stomach, his heel connecting painfully as he heard her gasp. The air shifted again, and snow began to quickly blow away, the powerful scythe creating a strong wind by spinning at top speed. Quickly diverting from the direct blast zone, Viktor took the advantage of sneaking behind her, ready to strike with a short blade. Just before the blade could connect, she spun on her heel and deflected the attack with the spinning scythe, the force pushing him back through the snow a few feet. Keeping the blade close to his chest, he used his other hand to steady himself on the ground, eyes watching them with concealed excitement._

_"You… students of DWMA… I am not your intended target, but this shall be an interesting fight!" Viktor mused as he flashed away, opting for rapid fire attacks, keeping her on the defensive. He wanted to push her to the limits, seeing the point where she would crack and give in. Maka Albarn was slowing down as his attacks seemed to be doing some damage, the frigid winter of Russia sapping the very life from her body. Being born and raised in the harsh conditions, the icy winds and thick snowbanks were almost a comfort the Viktor._

_"You are a very skilled meister, Maka Albarn, wielder of Death Scythe Soul 'Eater' Evans; but you know nothing of this environment in which I was born, raised, and trained within. If you can't even hold up against a master ninja how do you expect to defeat a newly reborn Kishin?" Taunting the meister seemed to irritate her more as he landed softly on a broken roof, the girl hastily wiping the blood that had trickled into her eye._

_"So, tell me; why would a ninja coincidentally be in the same area as a pre-Kishin sighting? Seems a little odd to me seeing as you were the one to attack first." With a deep breath in and out, Maka stood tall and planted her scythe into the thick snow. "Unless you're out here as a distraction so whoever you're working for can hunt down the suspect and unleash a full Kishin. Am I right?"_

_Viktor let out a low whistle, slowly clapping as he stared at her impressed._

_"I read that you were a smart one; very perceptive of you. But unfortunately, not completely correct. My mission was not merely to distract you, but to test your skills level. I have heard of your skills against the Kishin Asura, but he was an ancient artifact compared to today's Kishin. Simply punching a Kishin in the face will not suffice in taking them down, no matter how well it worked last time. But if this is all you have to offer, I'm afraid you'll have no hope in defeating the next Kishin about to be unleashed upon the world."_

_The anger radiating from the girl nearly had the ninja giddy with glee as she began stretching and cracking various parts of her body, emerald eyes never leaving his. The meister snapped something to her weapon as she crouched down, swinging the scythe back. Kunai slid from his sleeves into waiting palms, his breathing evening out as he waited for the attack. He didn't have to wait long before she made her move._

"_Let's go!" The scythe shifted from Demon Hunter, transforming into a new blade. "GENIE HUNTER!"_

_She was fast; her attacks without fear as she swung over and over, even flipping the scythe to attack with the butt of the shaft. A varied combo kept the ninja on his toes and before he could blink, she was in his face, scythe slicing through the air towards him at an alarming speed. Ducking back, he missed the deadly gleam of the red and black blade by centimeters, his eyes slightly widening with surprise. Even with his decades of training and dedication to the ninja arts, he was struggling to avoid being sliced in half. An opportunity opened and he flung his kunai as hard as he could towards the meister, hoping it would be enough of a distraction for him to get back on the offensive side. The kunai hit their target; one sunk into Maka's upper abdomen while the other punctured the center of her chest._

_To his horror, she looked down at the blades embedded in her skin before locking eyes with him as the weapons were pushed out, black blood bubbling from the wound as it sealed. While there was some remaining research on black blood, most of it being destroyed years ago by the DWMA, seeing it up close was a completely different experience to the ninja. Something like that would be very useful to the clan…_

_"I must say, Ms. Albarn, that is a very impressive skill to possess. But," Viktor straightened himself up, his hand reaching into a small pouch on his left hip. "There is a weakness to every secret weapon and unfortunately for you, I am well aware of what yours is."_

_His hand whipped out of the bag and 5 small metal balls hurtled towards Maka. With his other hand, he quickly muttered a small jutsu before launching at the meister, arm drawn back as lightning engulfed his fist. One thing he did learn, though, was that forcing a high shock or blast of soul wavelength into the black blood would cause it to momentarily become useless. The small metal balls exploded in her face, leaving a thick smoke clinging to her body._

"_FIGURE SIX HUNTER!"_

_There was no stopping the monster of a woman trailing behind him as they leapt from building to building, her determination and drive wearing the man down. His shock attack had failed, the meister twisting her petite body out of the way in the blink of an eye, whacking him on the back of the head with the scythe's rod. Supplies were running out and the only thing he had left was a sacred katana he had been given from the Elders specifically for this mission. It appeared to be a normal sword, but only those who were blessed to be able to use it knew what other-worldly power it held within it. It had been passed down from hundreds of years of master ninja's, the power growing with each generation it was passed down. Using it meant there was a high chance it would be a critical, if not fatal blow depending on where it landed. It wasn't his intention to kill the meister, but desperate times called for desperate measures if he was going to make it out alive._

_"I suggest you stop now if you wish to survive this battle! This could be a fatal blow if I am forced to use it!" The meister ignored his warning, screaming as she began to swing the scythe down. Gritting his teeth, Viktor began unsheathing the blade, the power sparking along the sharp edges._

_A loud series of explosions suddenly interrupted the battle, the two stumbling as the ground shook. Maka suddenly slid to a stop and whipped her head towards the center of the explosions, eyes going wide as they grew closer._

"_The Kishin…it's here."_

* * *

"Viktor, we have called you here today to discuss the matter of the witch Ametrine." Flyorova cut straight to the chase, her translucent eyes boring into his. "We have word that she attacked the DWMA, including the meister Maka Albarn, before being taken into custody of the Coven. Her deal was to provide us with a source of Asura's power and in return, for us to continue to unleash Kishins upon the world to spread the madness. Now that she has been captured, she is awaiting trial; most likely she will be executed for her crimes."

"You want me to break her out so we can continue to receive Asura's madness from her in order to fulfill the prophecy." Viktor finished, his hand twitching slightly against his lap. "It will be difficult to infiltrate the Coven while a trial is awaiting. I assume the plan is for me to take the place of someone on the Elite team."

"You always were a sharp one, Viktor, I enjoy that." Flyorova gave a brief smile. "That is the plan, but there has been…a setback." Uneasiness settled over the ninja at the word. "Our Elite team has not been in contact for nearly a week now since her capture and there is the worry that something has gone wrong. We have contacted the Coven and the Mother has not responded. I fear this is Ametrine's doing."

"Do you think she is getting revenge on the Coven? For the crimes committed against her and then exile?"

"That is a high possibility, one that I truly hope is not the case. The fact that neither our team nor the Mother are responding is unsettling, to say the least. I want you and a few other higher-level members to find out what is going on in the Witches Realm. You are dismissed."

Viktor bowed deeply, his forehead touching the floor, before slowly getting to his feet. He made it a few steps before the head Elder stopped him.

"Be careful, _tovarishch*, _and bring our family back home safely." Flyorova spoke softly, barely above a whisper.

"_YA prinesu ikh domoy bezopasno." I will bring them home safely._

* * *

What awaited him in the Witches Realm was unlike anything he had ever seen; everywhere he looked was chaos. A heavy aura of madness hung in the air, poisoning the air with its putrid stench. Witches were screaming in agony as their minds were corrupted by the air, some even attacking others with the viciousness of a wild animal. Viktor and his team watched from above, taking in the chaos with stunned silence. They had swapped their tradition white armor for a heavier black version, one more suitable for open fighting in other environments. Buildings were smoking or on fire, burning witches seemingly unaware of what was happening to them as they stumbled around. The crescent shaped building that housed the Council seemed to be one of the few structures still remaining, a magical barrier sealing it off from the rest of the Coven.

"Viktor, where is Ametrine being held?" A fellow ninja asked, their voice tight as they watched with pained eyes.

"According to the last report, she's being held on the outskirts of the city, in a heavily sealed containment cell. We need to find the Mother as well, to ensure her safety. I will use the tunnel system in the Mother's office to find her. Those are your orders, now go." The rest of his team were gone before he even finished his sentence.

Back in his village, due to the history with Asura's madness, the villagers were somewhat adjusted to a certain amount of madness. This though…this was something that was much stronger than he ever anticipated. He could feel it tingling at the back of his mind, wanting to enter and corrupt another soul. Years of training made it easy to block the madness, sealing off his mind completely with ease. With a grimace he leapt from the tree he was scoping in and darted his way through the throng of screaming witches, dodging their jerky movements. The building was on fire as he entered, the thick smoke burning his eyes as he crouched low and navigated his way to the office. Having been there a few times, it didn't take long to reach the smoldering door. It seemed that's where the main fire had been started, somewhere just beyond the doors as he swiftly kicked it open. A massive plume of smoke blasted him in the face, and he coughed heavily. All he had to do was get to the trap door just beneath the desk and he would be able to reach the Council. As he crawled along, something grabbed at his foot weakly.

"_Pomogi mne, pozhaluysta…" Help me, please._

"Vika…is that you?" Vika Yanovna was the current captain of the Elite team, having just been sent into the field a few months ago. They had grown up together, often practicing their fighting skills against one another.

"_Mat' v bezopasnosti, ona sbezhala." The Mother has escaped, she is safe._

"We have to get out of here, let's go." Viktor reached down and grabbed her arm, pulling her effortlessly against him. Her body was nearly motionless apart from the occasional twitch of her limbs and low groan. With his free hand, he grabbed a kunai and hurled it towards the windows. Combined with the heat of the room, the windows smashed easily, allowing the heavy smoke to be released into the air.

They still weren't out of the woods and the ninja dragged her towards the desk, setting her down gently as he searched for the release button on floor. As a safety reason, the button was placed on the floor so if needed, the Mother could discretely open the escape hatch. After tracing the floor, he felt the button and slammed his fist down on it. With a silent _pop_ it released. A blast of fresh air hit him in the face, and he took a deep breath before turning to grab Vika. As soon as he touched her arm, he knew it was too late. There was no telling how long she had been exposed to the smoke, or if she had other injuries…

"Pokoysya s mirom, moy drug." _Rest in peace, my friend._

Not willing to leave her behind, Viktor carefully dragged her to the front of the desk and settled her in front of him. The hatch was designed like a slide, meant to quickly and efficiently get the Mother out of harms way. So, with Vika secured in front of him, the ninja laid back and shot down the slide, the hatch sealing behind him silently.

"I'm telling you, that _bitch_ had something to do with this!" Mabaa's assistant ranted angrily as she chain smoked her pipe, pacing around the council room. "Shortly after we capture her, then the madness goes insane! I _know_ she's behind th—"

"**Nyamuu." **Mabaa snapped and her assistant stopped cold before muttering an apology, tapping her pipe out on a nearby potted plant.

"Mother, we cannot stay in here forever, there are only enough supplies to cover two weeks of shelter." Celestina Barclay wrung her hands anxiously as she eyed the heavy doors. "I'm afraid…I'm afraid the Coven has fallen. There is no telling how far the madness has already spread. It could be in other towns by now and they would have no warning."

"Mabaa-sama sent out letters ahead of time warning the other nearby towns that madness has erupted within the Coven," The feline witch let out a heavy sigh before continuing. "They should be able to defend themselves for a short while and escape afterwards. A letter was even sent to Lord Death, as much as I despise that reaper…"

"It could take days before Lord Death receives the notice of our emergency, I sent it the fastest way possible, but the madness may intercept the message…" Raine Moonfall chewed on her nails nervously.

"Nyamuu~" Mabaa chirped as she strode over to the door that lead to the emergency tunnel, raising a hand to grab the handle.

"Mabaa-sama, what are you…?" Her assistant strode over to the Mother, hand placed on her hip as she watched the witch open the magical locks, the door popping open.

Just as she took a step back, two black clad figures tumbled through the door, collapsing on the floor in a heap.

"Are they…members of the Elite team? Oh, thank goodness…oh, oh no…" Marilla covered her mouth with her hands, staring at the lifeless eyes of the ninja, icy blue eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

Viktor coughed violently as he pushed himself up to a sitting position, beating a fist against his chest to help clear it. He had inhaled a good amount himself crawling through the office and his lungs felt like they were on fire.

"M-Mother of the Coven, are you alright?" The ninja wheezed out as he continued coughing, eyes watering. "We haven't heard anything from our team and came to investigate. What happened?"

Celestina quickly grabbed some water and handed the glass to the ninja, offering him a cloth as well to cleanse the soot from his eyes. Ever since Cordelia passed away years ago, Celestina had quickly taken charge, keeping the Council strong for the past few hundred years. She wasn't as confident as her predecessor, but she certainly tried to keep the peace among the witches and other parties.

"Asura's madness was released nearly a week ago, shortly after we had brought Ametrine to her cell. Somehow it was released into the Coven and spread like wildfire." Raine quickly input, taking the empty glass and rag from the Elite member. "We've warned neighboring cities about the spread and have even sent Lord Death an urgent message asking for his help. They have a meister who can combat Asura's madness."

Viktor nodded slowly as he absorbed the information. So, they were looking for Maka Albarn's anti-demon wavelength abilities…. this was getting more interesting by the day. He shifted back and felt something behind him, reminding him of what needed to be done.

"Please, Mother, Council, I need to know where the rest of the previous team has gone. I've already lost Vika, _I need to know._"

Mabaa stared at him with her one eye, pity shining through as she placed a small hand on his clothed head. With a small incantation, magic began to swirl around him, ancient writing twisting into blurry images. As soon as they began to clear up, Viktor cringed as the images morphed into a video. The team was cut down one by one, succumbing to the overwhelming madness and the number of rogue witches attacking them. It showed Vika escorting Mabaa and her assistant to the office, slamming the door behind her as she ushered them to the hatch. Apparently, a rogue witch had wandered into the room and attacked the Elite captain from behind, trying to bite her and infect her with madness. The two slammed into a bookcase, a lit lantern swinging wildly above them before crashing to the ground. Vika yelled at them to get into the hatch before continuing her struggle. The last scene would haunt Viktor for the rest of his life; Vika grabbed something from the pouch on her hip and tossed it to Mabaa before the flames began to engulf the room, smoke concealing her struggling form.

The video cut off and Viktor clenched a hand over his heart, feeling like had been ripped right out. Mabaa released her hand before procuring a folded piece of paper, holding it out to the man patiently. Shaking fingers slipped the letter from her fingers, opening it like it was the most delicate thing in the world. As his eyes scanned the lines, his vision became misty.

"_To my dearest Viktor,_

_If you are receiving this letter, then my time has come. Do not worry, you are strong, and I know you will survive my death. Please, let my family know that I have gone on ahead of them and to remember the happier times of my life._

_Before I end this, I wish to confess…I have always loved you, Viktor, ever since we were younger. I was going to confess, but destiny has a cruel way of messing with life. You were taken into the dojo before I could tell you everything, of how I've loved you since we were young teens. I was unable to see you much afterwards, seeing how you were always training or on missions. I'll miss our long talks at night, our sparring matches, our weekly walk through the forest._

_I hope you will be strong, Viktor. Revenge is not worth it; it will only cause your own self destruction. Please, for my sake, do not seek vengeance._

_I will always look over you, until we meet again._

_Love, Vika._

A strangled sob silently escaped his lips as he set the letter down, shifting to look at the woman behind him, his tough exterior shattering. He wanted to tell her, before he left for training, but never had the time. They rarely saw one another after he left, just brief sightings here and there over the years. The one time they finally had time…

"I'm sorry for your loss, captain. She talked about you a lot, actually, usually where there was a meeting going on here and I waited with her." Raine Moonfall spoke softly as she crouched in front of the man, placing a gently hand on his shoulder. "She really did love you, always saying how you were the one she wanted to marry and start a life with."

"Thank you, Mother, for showing me those images. I will cherish them." Viktor quickly wiped away the nearly overflowing tears, pulling his mask further up the bridge of his nose. "We must leave now; the Coven is no longer safe for you. Your family…they are no longer themselves. If you will permit, I shall ease their pain quickly." The last part was barely above a whisper, the images causing the ninja to grimace.

"If it is what must be done, then do so, Captain. There is no way to remove the madness without the assistance of the DWMA and we have received no response from them." Celestina spoke gravely. "Those who were able to escape shall be the safest; there is a portal they can take to leave the Witches Realm in such a case. They will know where to gather, a place we must go to now. Please, do what you must, Captain, but for now we shall teleport out of the city to the location. You remember where it is?" Viktor nodded tightly. "Good. We shall see you there. Mother bless you."

With a bright flash of Mabaa's eye, the witches vanished into thin air, leaving no trace of existence. Viktor shook his head to clear his thoughts, glancing back at the lifeless body just behind him. He would need to get her back to the clan, for a proper burial in her homeland. With a grunt he stood, swaying slightly on his feet. The barrier around the crescent building fell and he could feel the blast of madness trying to penetrate the doors. A blast of energy needed to be released into the air to alert his clansmen of the change in plan. With a deep breath, Viktor steeled himself as he faced the massive ornate doors, short katana at his side. Lifting his leg up, the ninja kicked the door as hard as he could, putting all of his anger and grief into the attack. The iron hinges gave way immediately, the doors flying from the frame and into a group of deranged witches. Some were crushed immediately while others were knocked back, oblivious to the injuries.

"You told me not to take vengeance, Vika, so I will not. But," Viktor spun the blade in his hand, bringing the edge close to his face as he pulled his mask down, rage contorting his expression. "You have said nothing of _blowing off steam_."

* * *

**This chapter seems to make more sense to break it into two parts instead of a super long one. So, Fanfiction is being stupid and not keeping my breaks when I enter them into Word, so they will go back to words showing it's a break. Words in Russian will be translated into English next to them or given an asterisk and translated at the end of the story. It's from Google Translate, so maybe it's right? *** **tovarishch is comrade. * UPDATE - I found out how to fix the breaks, they've been corrected.**


	11. The Tides Begin to Turn

**So, I've changed the story name and description since I felt it better suited the story. The breaks have been fixed with the lines to separate them, though there will be some parts that switch constantly so I'll leave those like normal. I'm not sure how many chapters total there will be, but I'll continue it until it reaches a good ending. I appreciate all the support so far. Feel free to leave reviews so I know how I'm doing. Enjoy.**

* * *

The mission was supposed to be fairly easy; enter the Witches Realm, verify the Mother was safe, acquire the current Elite team on duty. It should have been an in-and-out mission, something that could be done within an hour. But as Viktor struck down the rogue witches with such fury that it rivaled the God of the Underworld, it was far from it. There were dozens, if not hundreds, of the infected witches roaming the Coven, screaming in agony as their minds melted from the power of Asura's madness. They didn't seem to notice as they were slain, throats slashed wide open or hearts pierced with extreme precision. Over and over he struck, screaming in frustration as he killed them one after another. Of course, it wasn't their fault that they had been corrupted, but that _that witch. _If she hadn't released the madness, hadn't started a war in the Coven…

"I'll get my revenge, Ametrine, for you taking the life of the woman I _loved_!" Viktor screamed as he stabbed a witch directly in the forehead, killing her instantly. "Even if I have to hunt you to the ends of this world or the next, _I will kill you_!"

_***~B~***_

Ametrine smiled as she felt the madness explode over the Coven, her plan working perfectly. After the guard had left, the madness had begun to spread like wildfire within twenty-fours, crippling the city and forcing it to its knees. Though she was still bound to her chains, she had the feeling the ninja clan would honor the contract and rescue her from her prison. It had been nearly a week since her capture, and though she tired of the dark, damp constraints of her cell, the patience was worth it. Metal clanked loudly outside of the doors and she sat up, the metal collar against her neck beeping loudly in protest. As the doors began to screech open, the witch felt the smile on her face grow as her restraints were removed one by one. The skin beneath the metal shackles had been rubbed raw, some even bleeding, though they could be healed later.

"Witch Ametrine, we are here to accompany you back to the clan. Can you stand?" An armor-clad ninja asked while offering a hand, translucent eyes void of any emotion.

"Perfectly, thank you. Would you mind taking off this collar? It's gotten a bit stuffy with it on," Ametrine pointed a delicate nail to the rapidly beeping collar, the lights flashing red.

With a quick nod, the ninja struck the collar in its weak point, the contraption clicking open as it fell to the ground, shorted out. Stretching her neck, the witch let out a satisfied sigh as she felt it pop. There wouldn't be much time before Lord Death got wind of the attack and swooped in to stop her, so Ametrine strolled right out of the cell, the ninjas falling in line around her. Though they didn't seem to show it, the madness was beginning to affect them. Faster eye movements, sudden little twitches in their limbs; they were trained well, but the power of Asura's madness always found a new way to infect hosts.

"Witch Ametrine, please follow us to the exit point. We shall take you directly back to the clan so you can report to the Elders." A ninja, a little taller than the rest, spoke emotionlessly as he lead the group towards an abandoned well shed not too far from the cell. "They are eagerly awaiting your return."

"As you wish. My business within the Witches Realm is complete for the time being." Once every witch in the Coven was ravaged, the plan was to find Mabaa and eliminate her. Only then, would she become the _true_ Mother of the Coven.

As they neared the well house, Ametrine noticed one of the team members had vanished without a trace. Considering their rigorous training in the ninja arts, it shouldn't have surprised her that they had vanished without her noticing, but something felt off. The man she had met weeks ago, Viktor Leonidovich, was one of the few highly trained ninjas who had been assigned to escort her throughout the Witches Realm and Russia, but he was nowhere to be seen. As soon as she noticed the other member gone, her suspicions were raised. Were they planning to go behind her word and eliminate her? Or was there something else that had taken his priority…

"What has happened to your captain, Viktor, was it? I suppose whatever he is currently attending to is more important than his high-priority mission?" Ametrine said coolly, examining her nails with bored interest. She didn't miss the way glances were briefly exchanged.

"Forgive me, witch Ametrine, but we are unable to give out that information. Please, head down the ladder and enter the portal, we shall follow shortly."

Sensing she wasn't going to get an answer, the witch merely followed one of the ninjas to the portal entrance, lips pursed together. There was something they weren't willing to tell her, something they didn't want her to know. She would have to get the information later, one way or another, but for now she climbed down the ladder and without a moment's hesitation, stepped through the glowing portal.

_***~B~***_

Viktor had lost count of how many lives he had taken, the number too high to remember as he continued slashing and stabbing his way through the Coven. By now, his team had to have reached Ametrine and escorted her through the hidden portal outside of the city. He had sent the flare up just before diving into the hoard, unleashing his fury upon them. A part of him felt bad for ending their lives, but without someone to remove the madness, they were nothing more than empty bodies filled with madness. Sweat dripped down his face and he yanked his hood back, messy platinum blond locks springing free from the tight wrap. It was getting tiresome; more and more witches seemed to be drawn towards him as the bodies piled up.

"Captain, the witch is secured." It was Sidorov Yemelyanovich, one of his younger team members. He stuck close to the captain, dual katanas drawn and ready. "I will cover you, please grab Vika and we can depart at once."

"Sidorov…"

"_Idi, ya pokroyu tebya." Go, I will cover you._

Viktor hastily turned on his heel, jumping over the grabbing hands of the witches, as he hurried towards the council room. There were very few witches hovering around the door, merely banging their heads against the walls or attacking each other. Taking the distraction, the ninja slipped past them and hurried to grab Vika's body from the stone floor. The warmth had long left her body as he gently lifted her, cradling her head against his shoulder, one arm around her back and the other supporting her knees. As he reached the doorway, a few witches shuffled their way through, anguished screeching echoing through the barren room. With a slight weight adjustment, Viktor swung his leg out and kicked them out of the way, the sickening crunch of bone hitting the stone causing him to cringe. Sidorov was still fighting off the witches, his blades glinting dangerously as he sliced through them with ease, blood running down the lengths of his weapons.

"_YA yeye, poshli." I have her, let's go._

The two flickered from sight, leaving the maddened witches to resume their own self destruction.

* * *

Vika Yanovna had been given a warrior's memorial, the entire clan donning black in mourning as her body was burned and returned to ashes. Viktor had stood beside the Elder's as they chanted the ancient burial tomes, his normally messy locks slicked back with gel as stood with his hands clenched tightly behind his back. Her family was standing closest to the fire, heart-wrenching cries from her mother as she watched her only child turn to dust. Adeliya Yanovna fell to her knees, punching the ground as she screamed her child's name over and over, the grief too much for her to bear. Behind her stood Derzhavin Yanovna, her husband, who stood with his fists curled tightly at his side, silent tears streaming down his hardened face as the flames danced in his eyes.

It was almost too much for the ninja to handle and Viktor quickly stepped back, walking towards the stone wall that encompassed the burning grounds. As soon as his frame was away from the eyes of the villagers, he sank to his knees in the thick snow, hands gripping his head tightly. He couldn't stop the tears as they flowed, heart screaming in despair as his chest heaved. This nightmare wouldn't end, no matter how hard he pleaded and begged it to. The love of his life was now being returned to the Earth in ashes, to be reborn into new life. It shouldn't have happened…it _wouldn't _have happened if that damned witch hadn't released madness into the Coven. Whatever her goal was, it _wasn't_ for the benefit of the clan; Ametrine was only using the clan as a means to get what she wanted, and it didn't matter how many bodies fell to create the stairway to that goal. Come Hell or highwater, he would put an end to it and slice the head from her body himself. A hand clasped over his shoulder and he stiffened.

"Relax, it's just me." Serova Leonidovich spoke softly as she crouched down next to her son, eyes brimming with tears. "I feel your pain, _syn_, as she was like my own flesh and blood. We shall mourn her loss, though we shall also remember the life she lived. Do not hold it in, let it all out." Viktor looked up at his mother, the master ninja suddenly feeling like a small child as he looked into his mother's eyes. Scooping him into her embrace, she rocked her child as he wept.

_***~B*~**_

Vika's ashes were buried in the warrior's cemetery, an expansive section of the mountain that contained hundreds of years of warriors who had fallen in battle. A family plot had been started by previous generations and she was laid to rest beside her grandfather, Tsaritsyn Yanovna, a mighty master ninja who had led the battle between the Hidden Shadow Ninja clan and the Hidden Serpent clan decades ago. The two clans were at odds over territory and many lives were lost. The Hidden Shadow clan left the battle, bloody and beaten, but victorious and gained another section of the mountains as their own. Tsaritsyn returned to the Earth peacefully, in his sleep, many years later and stories of his triumph was told every generation.

Viktor stood solemnly over the gravesite, the dirt having settled over the past few weeks, with a bundle of flowers in his arms. He visited a few times a week, keeping the headstone cleared of snow and dirt as he sat down and remembered every memory they shared. From when they were just young kids, playing hide and seek in the woods to strolling along the sacred river that ran down the mountainside. There was even a time when they had encountered a massive bear in the forest, unknowingly getting too close to her cubs. It stood on its hind legs as it roared at them before charging. Pushing Vika out of the way, Viktor lured the bear away from her, barely dodging massive claws as it swung at him. A stumble caused him to faceplant into a snowdrift that had formed against the trunk of a tree. The bear closed in and raised its paw to deal the final blow and the tiny ninja threw his arm over his face, hoping it would be over quickly. But as he waited with bated breath, nothing ever came. Taking the risk, he lowered his arm to see the bear retreating quickly, rushing back to its cubs.

"_I scared it off, Viktor! I forced a cub to call out for help to lure it back. Wasn't that so cool?!" Vika bounced excitedly as she pulled her stunned friend from the drift._

He gave a bitter smile at the memory; that girl was never afraid of anything, not even a dangerous mother bear. With his hand he brushed some freshly fallen snow from her headstone before placing the flowers. With a small prayer, he sat, reminiscing about the friendship they had forged over the years. Vika was an unusual ninja in regard to her appearance; instead of the icy white eyes that all villagers had, hers had a bluish tint to them, reminding him of the tip of a deep glacier. Auburn hair accentuated her deep eyes, making her a rare beauty in the clan. Many suitors tried for her hand but were turned down instantly, the woman showing no interest in their attempts. She would always complain to Viktor, mocking the many suitors by making faces and imitating their voices. It always made him laugh as she re-enacted the moments, playing both parts. Little things like that had made them close, an unbreakable bond forming strong and true.

"It won't ever be the same without you. _YA lyublyu tebya._" _I love you._

Brushing off the falling snow from his lap as he stood, Viktor slowly made his way back to the center of the village, hands stuffed into his pockets as he walked. He had been summoned to the temple once more, most likely for another mission. Since they had returned, the Elder's relieved him temporarily of his duties to mourn and heal the loss. It would take months, _years_, before the grief would lessen, but sitting around wallowing in self pity wasn't going to accomplish anything, especially when he had a certain witch to take care of. She had holed up deep in the mountainside, in a cavern that expanded the entire length of the village, to continue releasing madness. Ametrine had tasked a few ninjas with spreading small vials of the stuff to nearby villages. While he had never seen the vials leaving the cave, he had witnessed people wandering sluggishly along the outside boundaries of the settlement. They never responded to anything and appeared to be under a trance as they trudged through the snow.

What unnerved him was that fact that months ago, he had encountered a man in the forest who had acted similarly to these people. The blackness of his eyes and decaying stench of his mouth still tore him from his slumber, sheer panic coursing through his veins as his eyes darted around his hut. The madness…was it sending him a message? A warning that the arrival of the Reaper was near?

_**"Those who meddle outside the laws of God shall face the wrath of the Reaper. There is no redemption for those who break the sacred law. You have been warned."**_

A chill ran up his spine at the memory. He refused to tell the Elders about what he had seen, wary that panic would spread through the village, so he kept the haunting scene to himself. He wondered if Maka Albarn was the reaper the voice mentioned; she was a wielder of a Death Scythe who had supernatural powers that could defeat the madness. Perhaps he would ask her the next time they met.

As the temple came into view, Viktor shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind, preparing to receive his next orders. The same guards as last time shifted aside to allow him entrance, void eyes staring at nothingness. Warmth greeted him as he left his shoes just inside the doorway, sliding into the thin slippers before making his way to the reading fire once more. This time, it was only Flyorova seated a little way from the snapping flames, her eyes glassed over as she stared blankly at them. She had taken the death hard; it was unknown to most, mainly just the elderly villagers knew, but Vika was the niece of the highest ranking Elder. The two were very close, often spending a few hours a week talking over tea and catching up with one another.

As Viktor sat down, the Elder snapped from her trance and glanced over at him, waving off his attempt to bow. "Viktor…how are you holding up?"

"As well as I can, Elder, what of you?" She sadly shook her head, eyes watering.

"My heart aches for my flesh and blood, though I can take some comfort that she is no longer suffering. Tell me, was her passing swift?"

"By the time I had reached her, she had inhaled a lot of fumes. She passed shortly after I reached her. I was unaware she was in the office…if I had known…"

"Stop," Flyorova held a hand up, silencing him. "No one could have known. There was always the risk…a risk I wish would never exist, but the destiny cannot be swayed from her path." A few tears slipped from the corner of her eyes and she let them. "All we can do now is move forward in her honor. I know she would have wanted you to keep living your life…that is all we can do now. Move forward."

It was silent for a few minutes, the crackling of the fire filling the emptiness of the temple air. Once she had composed herself, the Elder shifted on her cushion to face him, tired eyes searching his own.

"Viktor, we have heard news that the meister Maka Albarn has returned to Innopolis in search of more clues to our whereabouts. The witch Ametrine has offered her assistance this time, sending ahead a few hundred smaller Kishins to ambush her. Your mission…your mission is to ensure she does not make it this far. There is one woman still alive in the town, Nadia, a former desk clerk at the Inn where they stayed weeks ago. We want you to turn her into a pre-Kishin in front of the meister to deter her from investigating further. I know with Vika's recent passing that this will be hard…it is not something I would wish upon _anyone_, DWMA student or enemy, but Ametrine has strongly suggested such a tactic." The Elder swallowed hard, her emotions surfacing once more as she reached out to grab his hands. "Please, do not harm the girl. She has a strong spirit and I fear the witch is using us to get rid of her. From the stories I've heard, she is a fierce fighter, just like our Vika. We may need her on our side if the fire reading was correct."

"I will do my best not to harm the girl, I swear on my life." Viktor grabbed her hands back tightly. "Against the last pre-Kishin…I believe she will suffer from the strong effects of the madness. Her ability to use black blood and control its madness is impressive, but the density that Ametrine is unleashing…it's unlike anything I've felt before. I have fears that she will toss our people aside as she reaches for her goal, no matter how many lives must be laid down for it. Do not trust her word."

"I will take your warning to heart; I trust your judgement." The middle-aged woman gave a small smile before releasing his grasp, twisting to reach something beside her. "Give this to the girl if the effects are too strong, they will hold off the symptoms for a few hours. There are only ten doses in here, warn her to use them wisely."

Viktor took the small wooden box from her, lightly tracing the ancient writing carved on top. With a bow, he stood and hesitated before walking away, a thought stopping him.

"What did the fire reading tell you, Elder? Does it have to do with that girl?" There was pregnant pause and he almost backtracked his questions, turning to speak when she cleared her throat.

"_**"Those who meddle outside the laws of God shall face the wrath of the Reaper. There is no redemption for those who break the sacred law. You have been warned.""**_

"T-those words…" Viktor choked out, fully turning to face the woman with wide eyes. "They…I've heard those words before. A dying man in the forest, months ago. Madness spewed from his mouth as if he were possessed…those exact words…"

"Then what the fire speaks is true. We will require that girl's assistance; _protect her with your life, Viktor._" Viktor bowed before leaving and Flyorova gave a heavy sigh as it sunk in; the gods were punishing them for their sins. For hundreds of years, the clan had been experimenting with Asura's madness as written in their ancient tomes. But at what cost? Countless lives had been sacrificed during the Kishins uprising in hopes of aiding his conquest to spread madness over the globe. They soon learned shortly afterwards that Lord Death had sealed the Kishin below the ground, putting an end to his reign of terror. Eight hundred years later, the seals were broken and the Kishin began to spread his madness throughout the lands once more. The DWMA fought bravely against him and managed to seal him once more on the moon.

For generations, small amounts of madness were kept beneath the village to keep the people adjusted to it, in the slim change that it would be needed once more. Ametrine arrived with her offer, displaying the raw power of the now sealed Kishin. A prophecy foretold of the revival, though it meant that more souls were needed to be collected, and how madness would seep to every corner of the Earth. Doubt began to creep into her mind the more she pondered it. What was the purpose of the ancient prophecy in this day and age? Was it _really worth it_? The Elder returned her gaze to the fires, the heat barely registering against her numb skin. She just hoped it wasn't all too late to stop it.

* * *

Viktor watched as the blue haired ninja moved faster than he could blink, vanishing into thin air. The pre-Kishin suddenly lurched backwards through the snow, losing its balance and crashing into the side of a building, debris exploding in every direction. Much like how he himself was trained, he was using his deeply rooted skills, eliminating his breath and becoming one with the shadows. If it were any other reason the two had met, surely their battle would have been one told for generations to come. The stories he had read were true then; Black Star, the last of the Star Clan, aiming to surpass God as a human. No, Viktor thought, as he watched the creature be beaten and pushed back with no visible attacker; he was sure the ninja _had_ surpassed God. Glancing to his left, he noticed the meister was still on the ground, the contents of her stomach having been emptied in front of her. Flyorova's hunch seemed to be correct the more he studied her; though she was shaking violently in the snow, her chest heaving as she gasped for air, there was something about the girl that did remind him of Vika.

"Death Scythe Soul 'Eater' Evans," Viktor watched as the weapon's head shot up, blood red eyes glaring heavily at him. "Give her one of these to subside the effects of the madness controlling her. It will last a few hours, give or take." With a quick wrist flick, the box flung towards the weapon who caught it with ease. His glare softened as he sent a questioning look to the ninja.

"What exactly is this?"

"Medicine, from the Elder. Believe it or not, we do not wish harm upon you or your friends. We fear a war may be brought upon my people and only your meisters skill will be enough to defeat the witch Ametrine." Soul glanced down at the box, then Maka, before back at him, red staring into white.

"Ametrine…so she's working for you then? Why should we trust you if you two are working together?" The hostility was back and then ninja wanted to release a heavy sigh.

"According to our ancient prophecy, our clan aided the Kishin Asura in his quest for world madness. For what reason, we do not know or understand. But after he was sealed, we hid away our research deep beneath the village. Though there was some madness left over, it was used mainly to adjust the people to the sensation. Now that the madness has returned, we question the methods being used by Ametrine. I fear she shall kill the villagers, much like she has killed my love, Vika." Viktor clenched his fist as he looked away from the weapon, eyes tracing Black Star's invisible attacks.

Soul could almost see the sadness and grief behind his hard eyes, the sensation all too close to home. With careful movements, he opened the lid of the decorative box. Ten small dark green orbs sat carefully aligned, nestled atop a cream silk-like material. They were about the size of small marbles as the weapon grabbed one between his fingers, examining it with caution. Taking one last glance at the motionless ninja, he held the orb in one hand while carefully lifting Maka's head up.

"Maka, here, you need to eat this." The meister slightly shook her head, eyes wild and face flushed as she struggled for air. "This will stop everything, I promise. Please,"

Maka glanced at the orb briefly, rationality fighting with the demon inside of her, before shakily lifting a hand to grab it. Before she could, Soul held it up to her lips and popped it into her mouth, tilting her head back so she could swallow it. After some dry heaving, the meister scrunched her face as she forced it down, coughing as it went down. Viktor waited for the effects to kick in, curious to know if it would actually work. Minutes seemed to pass before it kicked in. The meister had evened her breathing and was even sitting up on her own, black dress reverting back to thick winter clothing.

"W-what the hell was that," Maka breathed as she felt her mind returning to normal, the fear suppressed. In shock, she turned to look at Soul, relief written all over his face. "Soul? What was that thing? How did it stop the effects so quickly?"

"You'll have to thank your ninja friend for that. Said it would combat the effects of the Kishins madness." He pressed his forehead against hers, letting out a held breath. "Scared the shit outta me, Maka, don't do that anymore or my hair will turn even whiter."

"I'd be impressed to see that," She gave a weak smile before pulling away, turning to look for the ninja.

He was still stationary on the broken roof, his eyes unreadable, though it seemed his tense posture had loosed slightly.

"Yo, _asshole_," Black Star's shout diverted everyone's attention to him. He was standing in front of the defeated Kishin, its body turning into a thick cloud of particles. "We ain't done yet. You're the one who hurt Maka in the first place and _I'm gonna kick yer ass!"_

"B-Black Star, wait—!" Maka's protest went unheard as the two ninjas clashed violently.

"I don't think we should intervene in this fight," Soul muttered as the sound of metal scraping echoed loudly. "Can you stand?"

"Y-yeah, I think so." With a grunt, and a helping arm, Maka stood. "Looks like they've taken their fight out of the city."

Soul groaned and slid a hand down his face, suddenly noticing the dozens of warped faces staring them down with hunger. "Uh…we've still got some company." Maka turned to face the hoard with a twitching eye, jaw tightening. He could've at _least_ taken out the others in his rage.

"_Motherfucking Black Star!"_

* * *

Black Star hit him with everything he had and then some. The rage fueling him propelled him forward, locking blades with the mysterious ninja, eyes murderous. The look he received back was neutral, the translucent eyes portraying no emotion. They pushed apart before launching again, blades clanging and scraping together loudly.

"_Tell me why you sent that thing after Maka!" _Black Star yelled as he swung his foot out, the attack dodged easily. "Do you know badly that fucked her up? She had nightmares for a _week_ about that creature killing her in different ways and you just let it attack her!" He sidestepped a katana aimed for his side, swinging Tsubaki down hard towards his head.

"It was not me who sent it, but the witch Ametrine. My mission was only to observe and not intervene. I will not disobey a direct order from the Elders."

Viktor twisted in the air, his foot catching the smaller ninjas side and sending him careening towards a tree. With a quick flip, Black Star pushed off from the tree, sword held low as he shot back. This tactic was nothing new for the frozen tundra ninja who had mastered counterattacking and with a split-second margin of error, ducked backwards and plunged his blade upwards. He knew something wasn't right when there was no resistance as the metal pierced skin, quickly rolling out of the way as another copy of the blue-haired ninja aimed for his neck.

"_Ametrine? So, there is a connection between you and the witches like we thought." _Tsubaki spoke firmly, the shadow twitching restlessly around her meisters neck. _"Is she the one creating these creatures or has your clan resumed its ancient prophecy?"_

"You have read of my clans past, a smart idea." Viktor widened his stance as the two stared each other down, blades drawn to their centers. "Although my clan has a history of experimenting with the madness, what that witch is doing now is nothing but for her own good." Venom oozed from every word and the meister loosened his grip ever so slightly.

"What, you're saying you don't like what's she doing even though you invited her in? What kinda bullshit is that?" Viktor narrowed his eyes, averting them somewhere behind his foe.

"I have never had a good feeling about her, and my hatred grows even more so since she killed Vika with the very madness she has unleashed. She should have been left to rot in that jail cell in the Witches Realm."

"_You. Let. Her. __**OUT!**__"_ Black Star roared before launching into the air, Infinity Sword activating. _"What the fuck is wrong with you damned ninjas?! You released probably the most powerful witch in existence!"_

Calculating the blades' attack path, Viktor dodged them all, sprinting around their impact points with precise footwork. A shadow appeared overhead, and he jumped backwards just as the angry meister slammed the sword down where he stood a moment ago.

"_I will not disobey the orders from my Elders, whether or not I believe it is wrong!" _Viktor suddenly shouted back, his patience wearing thin. Between his grieving and heavy suspicions of the flaming haired witch, he was tired; beyond tired, to the point where he wanted to lay down his weapon and walk away. "I follow my orders as given; I do not question the wisdom of those above me. I do not approve of what has been decided, especially since it took the life of someone close to me. I wish to take the head of that serpent even if it costs me my _last breath._"

The two stood facing one another again, panting heavily. The meister stood tall, studying the formidable man before him with hidden feelings. With a quick release of his fingers, Tsubaki transformed back and looked between the two with her arms wrapped around her waist.

"You're…not working together? Wait, what the fu—." Black Star bit his tongue at the sharp look from his weapon, clenching his jaw as he scuffed some snow with his boot.

"Please, can you tell us what's going on? We can possibly work together to take her down." Tsubaki moved to stand in the center of them both, pleading dark eyes searching hard white ones. "She nearly killed Maka a few weeks ago, so we have our reason for going after her. And it sounds like you do too…"

"Not here. Not now. The forest has many eyes and ears. There is somewhere I must go tonight, to meet with someone important. _Shinigami wa yokoku sa rete itanode, jōju shinakereba narimasen. Nantō ni mukai, kawa o saigomade susumi, sokode aimashou._" Viktor popped from existence, leaving the meister weapon duo alone in the middle of the forest.

"Uhhhh, you wanna translate?" Black Star strolled up to his partner, scratching his head as he looked at her. "Tsubaki?"

Tsubaki stared at the space where the ninja once stood, eyes widened. She didn't hear anything but the first sentence repeating over and over, the meaning sounding ominous, a chill running down her spine. It wasn't until blue hair crossed her vision that she snapped out of it, staring right into her meisters face so close that a sudden movement forward would close the gap between their lips. Blushing furiously, the weapon quickly took a step back, placing a hand over her racing heart.

"S-sorry! It's just…what he said, the first sentence. I wasn't aware he spoke Japanese, but I guess it makes sense in a way, being a ninja after all." Tsubaki blurted out nervously, twisting her hands tightly in front of her. It was a bad habit that had stuck with her all these years whenever she was nervous. Large calloused hands suddenly covered her own, gently untangling them from one another and holding them tightly. Looking up, she locked eyes with Black Star.

"Tsubaki, what did he say? Did he insult you in any way? If he did, I'll hunt him down and –."

"No, no, nothing like that! It's…what he said. It translates roughly to _'The Reaper has been foretold, so it shall be fulfilled.' _And the other half was directions to the meeting point tonight. Is he talking about Kid? Seeing as he is _the_ Reaper…or is he talking about someone else? I'm just puzzled by it all, that's all." She bit her lip to stop her blabbing, cheeks on fire as she tried to avoid his heavy gaze.

Black Star studied her face for a few moments, feeling the nervousness in her soul. With a forced sigh, the ninja leaned back with his hands on his hips.

"We can figure it all out later, for now let's get back to Maka. She's probably pissed I left her with all those creatures…" Tsubaki snapped her head up, eyes wide.

"Oh no, we didn't think to take them out! Hurry, Black Star—"

A hand ruffled her hair and the weapon stopped to look at her meister, confusion filling her orbs as he smiled widely at her.

"She'll be fine; isn't she the toughest meister we know? Soul won't let anything happen to her, not when he's so helplessly in love with her." Black Star started walking away, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I'd never let anything happen to you either, Tsubaki. I swear." He whispered the last part, the howling winds swiftly carrying the words away.

* * *

**That's it for chapter 11! Sorry it took so long, I lost focus since I was grieving, but I'm slowly healing and ready to continue the story. Eventually there will be a manga to go along with this story, I'm currently waiting on my new tablet to arrive from Amazon and then I can begin. Thanks for reading!**


	12. Three Against One

**Things are getting heated up! I have drawn the first page of the manga that will go along with this fanfiction, so keep an eye out for that on DeviantArt under InuKagsluver4eva. It was taken on a phone, so if it's angled weird, that's why. Onward!**

* * *

Ametrine cursed aloud as she hurried around her makeshift lab, vials and beakers being roughly shoved aside as she threw her journal down, frantically flipping through the pages. Things were progressing faster now that her suspicions had been confirmed; the Elder's were silently shuffling their guards around, placing more outside of the caves' entrance and throughout the town; even going as far as to begin calling meetings with her more frequently during the night. They were getting suspicious of her actions and it shortened her slim time-frame even further. Finding the page needed, a red nail traced down the paragraphs, searching for the words she desperately had to confirm. There was a certain passage in her notes that explained how to accelerate the effects of the madness by nearly three-fold. A downside to hastening the pace was the fact that the chance of a backfire was greater, something the witch really wanted to avoid.

"'_In order to increase the rate at which the madness spreads, a sacrifice must be made, preferably one of pure blood, on the night of a full moon. The power of Asura should shine through the darkness and release the Kishin from his imprisonment, restarting the flow of madness throughout the world.'_"

Releasing the Kishin… he had been sealed on the moon by Brew for a few years now. Would the sacrifice be enough to release him from his cage? Or would that damned DWMA student strike him down before she had the chance to absorb his full power? There was also the fact that her _grandchild_ was sealed there as well. Grandchild…Chrona, was his name to be exact. Such a weak child, according to her surveillance over the years, though he did contain the newest experimental black blood, _mad blood_. Ametrine grit her teeth as she tried to think, nails clicking anxiously against the rusted table. She had to think of a plan, and fast, before an entire village of ninjas slaughtered her.

"Witch Ametrine,"

Ametrine froze at the voice, her nails pausing mid-clicking. Shit, maybe it was too late, maybe they had already decided her fate. There was enough magic within her to escape, if needed, but they were a force to recon with, especially in their own environment.

"Y-yes? Can I help you?" Magic surged at her fingertips, ready to discharge.

"Here is your nighttime meal, enjoy." A tray clanged against a metal table, the noise nearly deafening in the tense air. "The Elder's wish to meet with you tonight, within an hour. Do not be late." The ninja turned and left without a noise, leaving the witch alone once more.

Letting out a heavy breath, Ametrine slowly loosened her tense shoulders, heart pounding painfully against her ribs. She was getting sloppy, reckless. Tossing a glance at the bland food sitting a few feet behind her, she chose to ignore it and continue working. There was to be a full moon tonight; it was tight, but it would be possible to get done. Now the question was, to find a suitable sacrifice…

* * *

By the time Black Star had returned to Innopolis, the creatures had all been turned to dust, Maka standing next to Soul on a pile of rubble. Sensing his presence, the meister turned to glare at him, green eyes burning a whole through his forehead.

"Thanks for leaving a horde of creatures for us to take care of, Black Star." Acid dripped from her lips and the ninja felt a small chill go up his spine. "Didn't think to take care of them _before _you took off?"

"Oi, Maka, chill. I took care of the big one, didn't I? Besides, you can punch me later; we're meeting that snow bastard tonight in a discrete location. Told us he wanted Ametrine's head as much as we do."

Maka's face loosened as she studied her friends. Tsubaki seemed a little nervous, her soul wiggling in place while Black Star's was calm. There was something they weren't telling her, something they probably didn't want her to know.

"So, we're just going to go meet the dude, in the woods, at night, and sing kumbaya around the fire?" Soul snorted as he slid down the rubble, hands shoved deep into his coat pockets. "Yeah, doesn't sound like the plot to a serial killer movie _at all_."

"I think for now, we should trust him. He did give Maka those suppressant pills, right?"

"Where the hell did those come from anyways? How do we know they aren't poisonous or something? Maka, give me one of those."

"You're just going to eat them all at once and see if anything happens, aren't you." Maka deadpanned as she shifted the box out of his reach, grasping it tightly. "Whatever they are, they work to suppress the overwhelming madness from those pre-Kishins."

"We should probably separate a few of them in case something happens to the ones on you. Here, I have small baggies we can put them in." Tsubaki slid her backpack off, rummaging through it quickly. "Black Star and I will take two a piece while you and Soul can split it however you want. Fair enough?" They all nodded.

"How long are those things supposed to last anyways?" The blue haired ninja questioned as he examined one, closing one eye to see it better.

"A few hours, give or take. That's what he said, anyways." Soul took three of the small orbs and tightened his bag before attaching it to his belt loop, tucking it safely behind the belt.

Maka remained quiet, staring down at the medicine in her gloved palm. That's all it took, one pill, to ease the madness surging within her. It made the meister uneasy that there was such a thing readily available to combat the creature within her. Were there side effects to taking these pills? Would she be sucked into the darkness as the waves of madness crashed over her if she couldn't take them in time? What would happen if they failed? What would happen to Soul if she lost control? A headache kicked in and she winced, the throbbing sharp.

"Maka? Hey, what's wrong?" Soul's voice grabbed her attention and she slowly looked up to meet his gaze. "You've been spaced out for awhile now and we're getting ready to move to the meeting spot. Do you feel sick again?"

"I'm fine, just a headache started up. I'll be better in a bit, so let's head out now before it gets dark." Maka gave him a small smile before following after Black Star and Tsubaki, arms wrapping around her heavy coat in comfort.

Soul knew she was lying, that much was obvious; the way she smiled it off before walking away raised warning flags for the weapon, but knowing how stubborn she was, there was no getting it out of her anytime soon. With a huff of annoyance, the weapon followed dutifully behind her, mouth pulled into a grimace. Maybe Tsubaki could pull it out of her later.

**~*B*~**

By the time they had arrived at the meeting spot, the sun had slipped behind the mountain and the air became frigid in the dark woods. Black Star was complaining under his breath about the cold while Tsubaki, Soul, and Maka remained fairly quiet during the trek. The area appeared to be the ruins of a town; mounds of ancient rubble buried beneath snow drifts. There couldn't have been more than half a dozen buildings scattered throughout the region, all having long been destroyed.

"Tsubaki, this is the place, right?" Black Star quipped as he eyed the area. "There's no one here as far as I can tell."

"Yes, this is it. According to my watch, he should be here within a few minutes. It seems we were early. Let's keep moving, we still have a short way to go."

"It's almost too quiet here," Soul remarked as they weaved down the covered path, boots crunching softly through the snow.

"It's an abandoned village, I highly doubt there's anything out her—." A loud twang resonated through the air as Black Star stumbled over a concealed wire, triggering a trap.

"You were saying?" Maka growled as Soul transformed, swinging the scythe to her front.

"My bad."

The noise died out as the meisters tensed up, eyeing their surroundings warily. There was no wind, no snowfall, nothing. A wolf howled not too far in the distance, others joining in unison. A spark of wavelength caught Maka's attention and she shot her head around to see a lone wolf standing ten feet away, bright yellow eyes watching her hungrily. The woman froze in place, just staring as the wolf sniffed the air cautiously, eyes never leaving hers. A normal sized wolf she could handle, but this was no normal wild animal; It was _massive, _to say the least. Almost the double the size of a normal one, Maka guessed, and definitely a lot heavier. Its thick pitch-black fur rustled lightly as the wind started up and with a throw of its head, howled loudly.

"_Damn, that's a big wolf. Maka, how many?" _Soul asked, keeping an eye on the howling creature.

"At least ten…no, more than that, they just keep coming. Over...twenty—." The meister was cut off as the large creature launched towards her, snarling as it aimed for her throat. With a quick movement, the back of the scythe collided with its ribs, sending it tumbling into a tree. "Shit, this thing weights a lot more than I do."

"I don't think I've ever fought a wolf apart from that werewolf dude, this'll be fun!" Black Star cackled as Tsubaki shifted into Chain Scythe mode.

"Don't kill them, Black Star." Maka warned as she tightened her grip, watching the alpha wolf slink towards her once more. "They haven't done anything wrong."

Soul Perception triggered and her mind lit up with the entire pack of wolves' souls, surrounding them on all sides. There was no way out, they were completely enclosed in a small area. All that could be seen were the dozens of hungry eyes staring back at them, the moonlight illuminating them.

"We're completely surrounded now, stay on guard."

As soon as Maka adjusted her foot, they attacked. Multiple at once, from all sides with their teeth bared as unleashed beastly growls. The smaller ones were easy, they were lighter and easier to deflect, but as she constantly batted them back with pained grunts, it became clear they had the advantage.

"_There's too many, we need to start taking them out, Maka."_ Soul called out as he blocked snapping jaws, the sharp teeth grinding hard against the shaft. _"We'll be killed if we don't."_

With a grunt the wolf was thrown back, colliding with another pack member. Maka barely had time to shift back when something flew into her chest and sent her skidding back into the snow. Heavy paws pushed against her chest as the alpha snarled into her face, thick hot saliva hitting her cheek. With a grunt, she shoved the shaft of the scythe into its open jaws, arms shaking with effort as it pushed back. Pain shot into her shoulder and the left side of the scythe shifted down, bringing the wolf closer to her neck, putrid steaming breath hitting her face.

"_Maka!"_

She couldn't breathe, couldn't keep her arms up any longer as she locked eyes with the wolf. This is where she would die, that she was certain of. So many things she still wanted to do, to see, _to experience with Soul…_

No. Giving up wouldn't do any good, especially when she had a job to do; one that would decide the fate of the world once more. As her vision blurred from the lack of oxygen, Maka shifted her legs and curled them against her chest, ready to push off with all her strength. With a quick short breath in, she kicked as hard as she could. The wolf yelped as it flailed back, crashing hard against the frozen ground. Gasping for air, the meister hacked and wheezed as she tried to sit up, hand rubbing at the pain in her chest.

"_Maka, you alright?" _Soul asked, his concerned face appearing in the blade.

"P-peachy…"

"I've got you, Maka, so you just take it easy for a minute." Black Star suddenly appeared in front of her, Ninja Sword mode active. "Tsubaki, get ready; _Speed Star_."

In a flash he was gone, slicing through the pack with ease. All of the surrounding wolves suddenly yelped and darted away as blood sprayed into the air. While she couldn't see it that well, the sensation of something hot hitting her face was undeniable. With a grunt she got to her knees, using the scythe as support. The shaft suddenly glowed brightly and Maka felt an arm wrap around her waist.

"Black Star has this handled; can you stand?"

"My legs work fine…lungs, not so much." Maka panted as she straightened up, palm still rubbing at her chest. "There's still a…a few more nearby. Closing in…"

Crackling rippled through the air with small explosions following right behind. Bright flashes of light illuminated the darkness and the wolves seemed confused, halting their attacks before tucking tail and running away with cries of retreat.

"I am sorry for the delay, though it looks like I have arrived just in time." Soul and Maka looked above them to see Viktor crouching on a tree branch, eyes glowing bright. "This time of year, food is scarce for the wolves. It seems they had a hunting party doing a sweep in this area."

"Are Russian wolves larger than normal ones?" Soul asked incredulously as Viktor landed silently in front of them.

"Not usually, but there is an alpha in these woods that is nearly double the size of the others. She goes by_ Chernaya smert', _or Black Death in your language. She can take down a grown bear with little trouble."

"Of course, that's the one that went after me," Maka grumbled bitterly.

"She must have seen you as a threat to her ranking if she targeted you. You are lucky to have survived her wrath." Viktor stood to his full height and pulled something from a shoulder sling. "If you are uninjured, we must hurry to the meeting point. There are two others waiting for your arrival."

Soul and Maka shared a quizzical look with each other, brows knitted.

"They're waiting for us, specifically? Who exactly are they?" Maka asked slowly, watching for any expression change in the stark white eyes as he handed her a small lantern.

"I cannot say aloud, but you shall soon find out. It is not too far from here."

Black Star appeared silently next to Soul, Tsubaki at his side. The ninja was glaring holes into the back of Viktor, lip curling into a sneer behind his scarf.

"I still don't trust him," Soul glanced briefly at his friend. "I can't tell if he's on our side or not yet, so don't put too much faith into him. Something about this whole situation is suspicious."

The walk was quiet for the most part, save for the occasional grumble from the annoyed meister. Soul kept his arm around Maka for support, discreetly wincing when he felt pain flare in his shoulder and chest. She was hurting, though she wouldn't show it; not like she had to with them constantly resonating. He had packed the pain pills just in case this time, knowing full well her shoulder still hadn't fully healed from the last fight. Even after years of being together, his meister still tried to hide invisible injuries from him. There was no point trying to bring it up; it would always end in an argument and he would leave the apartment to cool off while she locked herself in her room for hours.

"We have arrived," Viktor announced suddenly as he stopped a few feet from a rundown building nestled behind a thicket of trees. "I will secure the area, please enter the building. I will join you shortly." The ninja vanished into the darkness, leaving the two teams to stand apprehensively outside the doorway.

"Tsubaki, go ahead with them, I'll be back in a minute."

"Black Star, what are—" Tsubaki protested but her meister vanished as well.

"That idiot just wants to keep an eye on him," Soul shook his head before guiding Maka through the doorway, using his free arm to push back overgrown branches.

"I understand his intentions, but I don't feel he is a bad person." Tsubaki huffed as she followed suit. "He did give Maka that medicine and when we went after him earlier, he told us he wanted Ametrine dead as well."

"This will probably all make more sense once we meet with whoever is behind that door." Maka gently pushed ahead of Soul, taking charge and leading the way.

With a hand gripping the rusted doorknob, the meister took a deep breath before turning it and pushing the door open.

**~*B*~**

"I see you triggered my decoy wire." Viktor mentioned casually as Black Star landed on a tree branch across from him, face emotionless.

"Why are you suddenly helping us out?" The meister cut straight to the chase. "You went from helping that witch to suddenly switching to our side. What's your game?" Viktor eyed him with tired eyes before shifting his legs to sit on the branch. This would take a short while to explain.

"It is true; we sided with the witch Ametrine due to an ancient prophecy that was foretold by the fire. We believed what we were doing was right, as written by our predecessors hundreds of years ago. Our clan, eight hundred years ago, began manifesting madness to aid in the Kishin Asura's plan to spread madness throughout the world. Unfortunately, before we could begin to unleash it, Lord Death captured and sealed him away. Though we had produced some madness, there was nowhere to unleash it, so the Elders decided to slowly leak it into the village to adjust our people to it. That has been the way for the past centuries until now. When Ametrine entered our territory, she requested an audience with the Elders to once again spread Asura's madness upon the world. The threat of releasing it upon my people made the Elders cave to her wishes.

"At the time, it was foretold by the fire, so we granted her access to the labs hidden deep in the mountainside. For the past few weeks, she has been working nearly non-stop on her project; I have witnessed mindless people wandering towards her cave, their heads void of thoughts and emotions. I do not fully understand the process of her method, but it seems as if she is using the souls of nearby villagers to feed the madness. I fear my people may be sucked into her plans,"

"So, all those creatures…"

"I'm afraid they were innocent souls filled with madness and released back upon the world, yes." Viktor answered somberly. "Ametrine does not care for the lives she takes, only seeking to fulfill her own needs, no matter how many it takes."

"Can't you all just take her down? Being as skilled as you are, shouldn't you be able to kill her?" Black Star stood from his crouch to lean against the tree trunk, arms crossed.

"I would gladly take the chance to do such a thing, though the villagers are the main concern. We have been evacuating everyone to a safe location, far from her. It may be too late to launch a full-scale attack on her as we believe she has noticed our intentions. I have been told by the Elder's to prepare for an all-out war against her."

Black Star remained quiet, studying the person in front of him. As much of a hard ass the guy seemed, in the end the two were no different. They both wanted to protect their friends and family, no matter to the cost. He suddenly remembered something from their conversation earlier and turned to look at him.

"You said something about a girl earlier, Vika, right? What's your story on her?" He could see the man's shoulders sag slightly, a distant look clouding his eyes.

"Vika…she was a childhood friend of mine; we grew up together, nearly inseparable at all times. We…once I began the path of the warrior training, we lost touch as I was separated from the rest of the villagers for years. I had not seen her until just a few weeks ago…as she was taking her last breath beside me."

"Shit, sorry to hear that." Black Star apologized quietly, knowing full well he heard it. "I can't imagine something like that happening to Tsubaki."

"Your partner, she is a good one. I don't have to ask to see you love her with all your being." Viktor mused lightly as the blue-haired ninja turned pink. "I was the same, with Vika, but unfortunately I was unable to let her know before she was killed by the madness unleashed into the Witches' Realm. I found her confession on her body after she passed."

"I may not have known her, but I can tell you she died with honor. You should be proud of her for her sacrifice to protect others."

"I am, very much so. She was given a warrior's farewell and her body has returned to the earth. I can no longer protect Vika, but you can carry on her strength and will to save others. Your partner, Tsubaki, make sure to protect her with all of your power. For Vika's sake and mine."

"I'd never let anything happen to Tsubaki; I swear on my life." Black Star pounded his fist against his heart, eyes locking with the ninja. "I would gladly die if it meant protecting her. The same goes for my friends and family."

Viktor closed his eyes briefly, silently chuckling to himself. They were exactly the same. Pulling the bottom of his mask down, he looked at the child in front of him, seeing a younger version of himself standing there, confident and strong.

"You and I are alike, Black Star, and for that I am grateful. I do not fear for the future generations if you are there to lead it. I am honored to call you my brethren, _tovarishch._" _Comrade._

"Feelings mutual," Black Star gave him his signature smile, hands on his hips. "Ready to go kick some witches' ass?"

"Definitely."

* * *

"Nyamuu~"

"Ma-Mabaa-sama…" Maka stuttered as she entered the room to find the Mother of the Coven sitting on a weathered stone bench, her assistant sitting across from her tapping her foot rapidly in annoyance. "I didn't realize…"

"Of course, you didn't, stupid human girl, this is a secret location." The feline witch snapped angrily, huffing her pipe rapidly. "It's all because of that damned _Ametrine_ bitch—."

"_Nyamuu._" Mabaa said tersely, shooting a tired glance to the witch.

"I will watch my mouth, forgive me, Mother." The witch muttered quietly, tapping out the ashes from her pipe before tucking it away. "Let's get this started before we waste anymore time. Sit anywhere, or stand, I could care less." She motioned with a flap of her hand.

Soul decided to stand left of Maka as she occupied a worn wooden chair, the legs creaking under the strain. Tsubaki stood on her other side, hands clasped lightly behind her back respectfully. None of them dared to stare too long at the haggard state of the witches, an uncomfortable air filling the room. They both looked exhausted, physically and mentally, judging by the way they seemed to sag in their seats. The door opened once more and Viktor entered the room followed by Black Star, the two seemingly more relaxed than before.

"Forgive me for the delay, let us begin now." Viktor removed both of his facial coverings, blonde locks springing free from their confinement. "I will put this plainly; we are planning to wage war with the witch Ametrine for her crimes. We have until midnight tonight, when the moon is full, to take her down before she unleashes the Kishin Asura from his prison on the moon."

"W-wait, she wants to release _Asura_? _Tonight?!_ How insane is this woman?" Soul gaped at Viktor, eyes darting to the witches to confirm this.

"Chrona sacrificed himself to seal Asura on the moon, what will happen to him if he's released?" Maka asked quietly, fists clenching tightly at her pants.

"Mother isn't sure what's going to happen to your friend if Asura is released. He was sealed with Brew so there is no telling what could happen to the one who activated it." The witch glared at the teenagers, sharp eyes shooting daggers at them. "Eibon would be the one to know, but unless you have him on speed-dial, we'll have to plan without him involved. What about the Reaper, has he received word from the Witches' Realm?"

"No, I don't think so, why?" Tsubaki asked hesitantly, unease coming over her. "Has something happened there?"

"When Ametrine was captured and awaiting trial, she somehow managed to release a concentrated form of madness throughout the realm. Within a week everything was corrupted and destroyed. I take full responsibility for her release." Viktor bowed deeply; arms stiff at his sides as he continued. "It was my mission to release her from the cell and return her to the village. It was also my mission to ensure the safety of the Mother. I cannot forgive myself for the actions caused upon both worlds."

"Nyamuu." Mabaa chirped quietly, earning a confused look from her partner.

"She says you were just doing your duty and you had no part in her destroying the realm, so rise. We can deal with punishments later," She took out her pipe once more, tapping tobacco into it. "Besides, our losses weren't the only ones suffered that day. We all lost someone from it."

"How long after she was captured did it take for her to escape?" Maka asked Viktor, green eyes searching his soul for wavering emotions.

"A week in the Witches' Realm is roughly one or two days in this world. She has been released for a few weeks already." The man stood back up though his posture was tense. "She has been working around the clock deep beneath the mountain behind our village. I have constant reports of her activity and it seems she is trying to hasten her efforts before the full moon."

"When the full moon emerges, Ametrine will have the chance to release the full effect of Asura's madness over the world, possibly himself as well." The witch supplied, blowing out a mouthful of smoke. "All she is missing, as far as we know, is a pure sacrifice to complete the ritual. It's an ancient one, something from over a thousand years ago, that was more of a theoretical spell than a perfected one. There are high risks with using it incorrectly. The backfire from it could cause the madness to go out of control and take over its host, essentially turning her into a Kishin."

"W-what the hell…" Soul grit his teeth, his hand gripping the top of the chair tightly. "So, if I've got this right; Asura could be released from the moon, possibly killing Chrona in the process, Ametrine needs a pure sacrifice to _complete_ releasing Asura, and if it backfires on her, we could have _another Kishin._"

"Nyamuu."

"She said essentially, yes, that could happen."

"What the _fuck_." Maka suddenly stood up, anger filling her veins. "Why hasn't anyone tried to stop her _before_ all this got out of control? If you knew," She turned to the stiffened ninja, green burning into white, "Then why haven't you killed her already! The whole world could be plunged into madness _and you could have prevented it!_"

"It is not as easy as it sounds," Viktor sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly. "Our prophecies are something held deep in our hearts, it connects us to our ancestors and their traditions. Though we sometimes question their words, they have never strayed us off of the destined path until know. We weren't sure what Ametrine's next moves would be, and the Elders have just begun evacuating the village in preparation. The problem is, we believe she is aware of what we are doing and is hastening her efforts to release the madness before we can eliminate her. The Elders have the final say in the matter, unfortunately. We have the head of the Elders, Flyorova, on our side. She will speak to the others and convince them to abandon this prophecy for the sake of the villagers."

"We need to get a hold of Kid, then. If he doesn't know…" Tsubaki chewed on her lip anxiously. "Death City is still trying to recover from the attack by Ametrine and I'm not sure he can step away to help us."

"We believe our message was intercepted before it reached the Reaper, hence the lack of action being taken by him. Although you all are here, the question is whether or not you will be enough to take her down." The witch eyed them with a bored look.

"Nyamuu~"

"Mabaa-dono suggests you contact Lord Death immediately and inform him of the situation. His help could be the turning point in this war. For now, we shall adjourn this meeting and regroup with our sisters. Any information is to be directed through that man who will relay it to us."

The two witches ensured their message was received before flashing away. Viktor ran a hand through his hair, sighing silently.

"I apologize for dragging you into this war, but we have no other option. Maka Albarn, your black blood and anti-demon wavelength are urgently requested. Please, assist us with this war." Dropping to his knees, the ninja placed his forehead against the backs of his hands, bowing deeply. "I beg of you; help me save my people and destroy the witch Ametrine."

Maka startled at the sight of him bowing to her, opening and closing her mouth trying to respond. A hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up to see Soul staring at her, a grin on his face. Tsubaki and Black Star wore similar expressions, their eyes reflecting her answer. Taking a step forward, the meister looked down at the man before her, shoulders squared, and eyes set.

"Of course, we'll help you. Your village will be saved, I promise you that." Viktor leaned back to rest on his feet, hands staying on the dirt floor. "Lord Death will be contacted immediately and informed of everything. If possible, I would like to visit with the Elders and discuss the details with them."

"Yes, the plan was to take you to the village tonight to discuss matters with Elder Flyorova. There is a tunnel system that leads to the back of the shrine, the entrance is located not far from here. It should take less than an hour to reach the village. We shall leave when you are ready."

Viktor left the room, leaving the meisters and weapons alone. Spotting an old mirror on the wall, Maka typed in the familiar numbers, waiting as it rang. The surface rippled before a clear image of Kid appeared. There were heavy bags under his eyes and his hair was disheveled, but his eyes were alert once he noticed the serious look coming from the death scythe meister.

"Maka, what's wrong? I take it this isn't a social call."

"I suggest you sit down for this, Kid, this is going to take a while."

* * *

**I thought about making this chapter longer, but it's already pretty lengthy so it'll continue in the next one. Thank you! **


	13. War Never Changes

**Thank you DarkHazen for the reviews and support! Here we go.**

* * *

Kid had called all death scythes for an emergency meeting as soon as he had ended the call with Maka, ordering an immediate lockdown for the citizens of Death City as well. Marie was the first to respond, with Stein at her side. Azusa was second, already setting up monitors and communicating with the other scythes who were awaiting orders. Liz and Patty stood anxiously beside their meister, glancing nervously between each other.

The reaper was nearly shaking with rage as he paced back and forth, hands clenched tightly as he tried to process everything. With the time difference between the two countries, it would be an extremely unlikely to get there in time. It was nearly nine in the morning, meaning it was only a few hours from midnight in Russia. That damned witch…planning to release Asura from his prison.

"Lord Death, what's the status on Maka's party? Are they alright?" Marie asked worriedly, hands clenched against her chest.

"For now. They last reported they were headed to a meeting with one of the Elders of the ninja clan. Witch Ametrine is planning to release the Kishin within a few hours in order to spread madness across the globe. She has already taken out the Witches Realm a few weeks ago, of which we are just now learning about it. Their message was intercepted and thus never delivered to me."

"Chrona expelled the black blood from within Asura and sealed them all on the moon, so if Asura has no remaining black blood inside of him, how does Ametrine expect to gain power from it? She would have to break through the black blood barrier and access Brew in order to do so." Stein cranked the dial on his head a few clicks. "Unless she knows of another way to reach him, the probability to reach Asura seems pretty low to me."

"The witches information explained that there was an ancient ritual that would be powerful enough to release the Kishin from his prison and spread madness throughout the world. A ritual that requires someone of pure blood to be sacrificed in order to overpower the black blood." Kid stopped his pacing and faced Stein with a grave look. "The only one I can think of with pure blood is—"

"Maka."

Spirit wore a hard look on his face as he stopped next to Marie, hands shoved deep into his pockets. He had cleaned up before arriving, but his hair seemed permanently disheveled.

"Her anti-demon wavelength…in a way, it could be considered pure since it destroys any evil. The question is would the black blood within her react with Asura's or would the anti-demon wavelength cancel out the effects?"

"I don't know, Professor Stein, but what I do know is that this battle will most likely be up to those four. I won't make it in time to aid them," Kid clenched his jaw tightly as he ran a hand through his ragged locks. "All of the death scythes are too far to reach them within a few hours. I have asked Kim to be a communications line between us and the witches as they gather what remaining troops they can. If only I had known…"

"There was no way for you to have known, Kid, like they said, the message was intercepted somewhere along the line." Marie spoke softly, wanting to reach out to him with comfort. He was still just a child, getting ready to go to war once more…

"Lord Death, I have contacted all of the other death scythes. They are awaiting your orders," Azusa adjusted her glasses as she spoke. "The fastest any of them could reach the Northern part of Russia is at least six hours."

"There's no time! Asura could be released from the moon by then if something isn't done _now_."

"Lord Death, I have news from the witches!"

Kim Diehl sprinted into the Death Room, Jacqueline hot on her heels. She stopped a few steps from the reaper, doubling over as she tried to catch her breath. Her partner wrung her hands nervously, eyes darting to everyone in the room.

"Take a breath and tell me," Kid demanded.

"Mabaa-dono said she has amassed a small army of witches to help, but they may not be able to withstand the effects of the madness. Eruka and Free have been contacted, they never received word from her but they are on their way here. She thinks something is messing with her magic around Death City which is why the warning never arrived." Wiping the sweat from her brow, the witch stood up. "They are awaiting word from their connection inside of the clan, but so far nothing has happened. There are still a few hours before the full moon."

"Contact Eruka immediately and gather all the witches in the city, we need Mabaa to have clear access to the Death Room." Kid barked the order, voice booming. "I want a small team assembled in preparation to transport immediately once the path is clear between the witches and Death City. Stein, Marie, I know this is a hard thing to ask of you…"

"Hiroshi will be fine with Nygus, Kid; we are willing to do whatever you need us to do." Marie gave him a small smile.

"If it means getting away from a screaming toddler for a short while, count me in." Stein shot his hand up, swiftly dodging a kick from his wife a moment later.

"Lord Death," Spirit took a step forward towards Kid, face unusually serious. "As a death scythe, it is my duty and honor to serve alongside you in a time of crisis. As a father, it's my duty to ensure the safety of my child. I can't just sit here and watch as she becomes a sacrifice for a demented witch." Kid studied him for a few moments, searching his soul. His wavelength never wavered, flickering strongly within him.

"I will see what I can do, Spirit, we may need all the help we can get. Azusa," the death scythe nodded before pressing a key on the computer console. Kid cleared his throat and calmed his emotions before turning towards the monitors.

"Attention all death scythes…I have called you in preparation for a looming war. One that is happening within a few hours in the Northern part of Russia. The witch Ametrine is planning to release the Kishin Asura from his prison on the moon; her goal is to resume the spread of madness across the globe. I understand and appreciate your willingness to aid in this battle, but your mission is simple; secure your territories immediately, raise all threat levels to _S_ and hold your ground until otherwise instructed. I, along with a small team, will be attempting to relocate to the area Ametrine is hiding out in order to aid the war efforts. Azusa will remain in the Death Room and monitor the situation from here.

"This will be a battle of joined forces; the DWMA, the witches, and The Hidden Shadow Ninja Clan. Together, we shall overcome Asura's madness once more and secure the world's safety for generations to come!"

With a resounding battle cry, the death scythes began to disconnect one by one, rushing to secure their territories. Kid let out a heavy breath, his demeanor falling back to tense and exhausted. If the witch Eruka could disband the barrier, then there was still hope that Mabaa could teleport them to the battle. The Reaper never doubted for a second that Black Star and Maka could handle themselves, but with the level of madness Ametrine was attempting to release…

"Has there been any word received from them?" Kid asked.

"No, and we've tried getting ahold of them, but no one is answering. You don't think the battle's already begun, do you…?" Liz asked nervously, glancing at Patty.

"If it has, then we need to quicken our efforts here in order to join them. Let's just hope we're not too late…"

* * *

Maka, Soul, Black Star, and Tsubaki waited silently at the end of the hidden tunnel as Viktor checked the surrounding area before knocking three times rapidly against the low ceiling. The tunnel had both narrowed and lowered as they entered the village outskirts, obviously an older system build hundreds of years ago, judging by the aged wood supporting it. After a few seconds, the door slowly opened, groaning as it slid along a rusted track.

"Come, we are running out of time. This will lead us to the rafters above the reading fire. We will access a hidden room on the other side where Flyorova will be waiting for us. Silence is key." Viktor whispered before motioning for them to move. With ease he jumped into the dark hole.

As they crawled through the shrines framing, the sounds of a fire crackling soon reached their ears. There was very little lighting and the scythe meister nearly slipped a few stories to her death if it weren't for Viktor snapping his hand out to catch her in time. Nearing the center, the ninja held up a hand and motioned for them to stay silent before pointing down to the fire. Flaming locks brightly stood out in the darkened shrine. She was sitting at the edge of the fire's pit, waiting quietly for someone. Maka felt her blood begin to boil the longer she stared at the woman, ready to launch herself down there and slice her in half. A strong hand gripped her arm and she turned to see Soul giving her a stern look, shaking his head no.

Something caught the witch's attention and she stood suddenly, palms resting against her hips. A figure emerged from the fire's shadow; Zefirov David Igorevich, the third Elder. He was carrying something in his hands, a box it seemed, his expression unreadable.

"I am assuming it is time to act, no?" He rumbled, holding the box out to the witch. "I have done what you have asked; the concentrated madness has been leaked into the water supplies and food storage sheds. It may only have a mild affect for those of higher skill, but the others should be able to succumb to it. I have already slipped very strong doses to Flyorova and Dimitri."

"Excellent, you've done well for me, Zefirov. Your service will be well rewarded." Ametrine grinned as she opened the box. Two small vials were nestled within, darkness swirling violently in the glass. "Once I have my pure sacrifice, all I need to do is slip this into their body and the rest is taken care of. They'll succumb to the madness and become the gateway to unleashing Asura from his imprisonment. Has everything been set up for when the witches arrive?"

"Yes, Mistress, the traps have been set. There is an ambush waiting for them on all sides of the village. Has there been any word on the DWMA students?"

"No, but I suspect they're close if not already here," Ametrine mused, shutting the box lid. "That barrier I set up around Death City should be in full effect as well, meaning the witches can't connect with Lord Death and communicate very well. Mabaa will be eliminated and I shall take over as _true_ Mother of the Coven."

Maka felt the hair on the back of her neck stand when Ametrine suddenly glanced in their direction, lips twisted into a knowing smile. With a few final words, the two went their separate ways, leaving the shrine empty. The fire crackled loudly as timber shifted, flames licking greedily at the kinder. Viktor sent them a hard look before beginning to move, swiftly moving across the ancient beams.

"Ametrine knows. Our plan has been compromised; we must divert our course and meet with my team. Flyorova will most likely be aware of what has happened and will isolate herself." The ninja spoke as they lowered themselves into a small room on the other side of the shrine. "As for what happens from here, wait for my signal to move ahead. I will return shortly so be sure to say what you need to before this war starts. We will not all survive it."

The paper door opened and closed, leaving the four teens alone in silence.

"He acts like we're all going to die," Black Star mumbled through his collar. "Ametrine may be tough shit, but Asura was stronger. She'll be dead before she can take a breath."

"I have a feeling she's stronger than Asura, by a good measure." Maka said quietly, all eyes turning to her. "There's something I haven't told you, something that I didn't confirm until we returned from Russia the first time."

The meister turned and slowly walked towards the lone windowpane in the room, looking out over the dimly lit village with her arms wrapped around her waist as she leaned against the frame.

"What Ametrine was saying earlier, about there being a pure-blooded sacrifice? I know who it is, who is meant to be the gate to unleashing Asura."

"You don't mean…" Tsubaki covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide as she caught on.

"You think you're the gate…" Black Star finished for her.

"I won't let her take you away from me, Maka, I'll rip out her heart before she gets close." Soul swore as he stepped towards her. "We'll end this war before she can get anywhere close to you, I promise."

"You've felt my shoulder pain, right? How it oddly hasn't healed in the weeks since the battle?" Maka suddenly stood upright, slipping her winter coat from her body and dropping it to the floor. With a delicate movement, she turned around and pulled her shirt down over her shoulder. There, glowing deep red, was a witch's symbol engraved into the back of her shoulder, resting just behind her heart. "That day, when I was hit with the creature's claws, it scratched me there and must have transferred the spell. It didn't become visible until we were getting closer to Ametrine. It's been burning since we returned to Innopolis; that's why I had that headache, why my shoulder failed during the fight. That's why she looked up at me a few minutes ago; she could feel the magic activating."

Nobody moved as they stared at the marking, at a loss for words. After a few heartbeats the meister pulled her shirt back up, bending down to grab her coat. She couldn't meet their eyes, not after what she just said, so she searched their souls. Soul was confused, hurt, and upset that she didn't tell him anything. Tsubaki was shocked and scared, her soul trembling as she fought back tears. Black Star…

"And you kept this from us until _now?_" His voice was dangerously low as he quickly closed the distance between them, roughly grabbing the front of her shirt and slamming her back against the wall. She winced at the pain but remained silent. _"You couldn't bother telling your friends that you were the fucking gate to unleashing Asura?!" _

"How did you expect me to tell you? _'Oh, hey, by the way I'm the fucking pure-blooded sacrifice to unleash Asura!' _If I had told you, or _anyone_, then we wouldn't be here trying to stop her! I would have been chained in the basement of the DWMA far away from her while she corrupted the world! I'm the only one who can stop her, Black Star, and you would've done the same damn thing!"

His glare sent a chill down her spine; he was _livid_. Soul latched onto his forearm tightly, shooting his best friend a venomous look. With an angry huff, the ninja released Maka and silently launched himself back up through the ceiling door they had entered from. Tsubaki looked torn between her friends, eyes darting anxiously between the couple and where her meister had gone. With a brief nod from Maka, the weapon took off after Black Star, leaving the meister alone with her silent weapon.

Soul had walked away from her, running a hand angrily through his hair, looking ready to punch a hole in the wall. Maka slowly put her coat back on, eyes glued to the worn tatami mats lining the floor. She didn't want it to happen this way, not when they were about to go into the biggest war with three of the most powerful forces on Earth. There would be dozens, if not hundreds, of casualties during the battle. The witches wanted their revenge, the ninja clan would be torn apart by the level of madness about to be unleashed, and Maka may have just ruined her relationship with the man she loved.

"Soul –"

"Answer me this," His tone was sharp and the meister flinched. "How long have you known?"

"I-I noticed it shortly after the fight at the DWMA...right before I was unconscious for a week." The words were like tar in her throat. "It glowed only for a few seconds and I thought I was hallucinating. I looked into it at the library and didn't find much on it, so I…contacted Mabaa in the Witches Realm." Maka waited for his response, twisting her fingers nervously.

"What did they say?" Soul was quiet as he tried to absorb everything.

"They—_she_ said it was a curse marking. A very ancient and powerful one; so powerful, it was locked away in a book of dark magic. Once it's on the intended target…" She didn't, _couldn't_, finish her sentence. It was too painful to think about.

"That bad, huh."

"Yeah…I'm sorry, Soul, for keeping it from you. I didn't want you to worry…" A hand caressed her face before lifting it up gently. Soul gave her a small smile before pulling her against his chest and wrapping his arms around her petite frame.

"I knew you'd tell me when you were ready, that part of you hasn't changed all these years. Whatever she's planning, we won't let her go through with it. I'll protect you with my life."

"If anything happens," Maka said suddenly as she pushed away from him, locking eyes. "Please, _please_, promise me you won't let the madness consume you. That you'll fight every day to survive and live on without me." Soul stared at her in shock, at a loss for words.

"Why are you acting like you aren't going to survive this?"

"Because, Soul, if what I was told about this marking is true," Maka said shakily, tears filling her eyes as she rested her hand against his face. "I'll be dead once the clock strikes twelve."

**~*B*~**

"You went overboard back there, Black Star! I can't believe you would attack her like that!" Tsubaki chewed her meister out as she stood toe to toe with him, standing just over a head shorter than him. "She's probably _terrified_ about all of this and you just went and shoved her into a wall! Out of all the things you've done, this is by far the _lowest_—!"

"How else was I supposed to react, Tsubaki? Congratulate her for her place in history as the one to re-release Asura? No, I'm fucking _pissed_ that she didn't tell anyone about this!" Black Star lashed out, forcing his weapon to take a few steps backwards. "We could have tried to find a way to erase the curse, but _no_; she kept it to herself until a few hours before a fucking _war_!"

"She didn't have much of a choice! Do you really think any of us would have let her come here knowing she would be potentially throwing her life away to unwillingly unleash the Kishin? There wasn't enough time to find a way to reverse it before Ametrine destroyed the world."

"It still doesn't make it right, damnit."

Black Star glared at the moon high above, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Tsubaki sighed heavily as she walked away from him, trying to cool off. Never had she been so angry with him and it made her feel sick to her stomach. They were about to go to war and fighting between themselves was the _worst_ thing they could do. Not only did it cause lapses in judgement, but it could potentially weaken their resonance strength. What Viktor said earlier suddenly rang in her mind and she stopped dead in her tracks, near the edge of the roofs gable. If she didn't do it now, while she had the courage, then there wouldn't be the chance if something happened to either one of them. Glancing at him, he was still standing stationary, burning holes into the moon.

Turning on her heel, the weapon swiftly walked up to her meister, spun him around to face her, and with a quick pull of his collar, crushed her lips to his. The meister nearly stumbled backwards in shock as his weapon kissed him. Like, _actually kissed him._ It took him a minute to realize she had pulled back, face bright red as she glanced off to the side, biting her lip. His mouth opened and closed a few times, completely speechless for the first time in his life.

"Ts-Tsbuaki, what—"

"I-I wanted to do that for s-some time now, and with what Viktor said earlier…I wanted to make sure I did it while we still had the chance." Tsubaki stuttered as she covered her face with both hands, shaking her head in embarrassment. "If something happened to us—"

Calloused hands cradled her face and lowered her hands before lips encased her own. Indigo eyes widened as she watched her meister pull away, his cheeks tinted bright red. The two stared at each other for a moment, hearts pounding wildly against their chests.

"I love you, 'Baki, have for a few years now," Black Star said quietly. "Couldn't find the right time to say it."

"Black Star…" Tsubaki couldn't stop the tears as they fell, her heart overjoyed. Seeing the tears, her meister gently wiped them away before pulling her against him.

"Everything will be alright, I promise you. I'll protect you with my life."

"I know you will, Black Star."

**~*B*~**

By the time Black Star and Tsubaki returned to the room, Viktor had returned and was quietly talking with Soul and Maka. White eyes darted to his and without spoken words, a mutual understanding was shared.

"My team is outside of the caverns waiting for us and we must move swiftly. The entire village has been evacuated and there should be very few people left. We have less than an hour before midnight strikes; Ametrine must fall within the hour or else the madness' control will grow." Viktor received a small nod from everyone.

The team quickly weaved their way through the ancient building, not bothering to take secret passages anymore as their cover had been blown. Maka and Black Star held their weapons close to them, grips tight. In a matter of minutes, they were once again in the arctic air. The town seemed desolate without the villagers, though they all knew better than to relax. As they neared the cave entrance, Viktor held up his hand, signaling to stop. The meisters silenced their breathing, searching the area with caution.

"It is too quiet…brace yourselves." Viktor muttered under his breath as he slowly unsheathed his sword. The meisters steadied their stance and waited.

Within seconds, snow blasted into the air as dozens of pre-Kishins emerged from the ground. Their screeches deafening as they descended upon the group with ravenous appetites. The ninjas vanished into the darkness while Genie Hunter lit up the area, its light vibrant as it sliced through the creatures with ease. Maka felt the black blood pulsing in her veins as they resonated, fueling her movements as she slayed left and right.

_She opened her eyes to find the familiar checkered piano room, Soul standing there waiting for her like always. As she walked towards his waiting hand, something nagged at the back of her mind, like a tiny prickling sensation. Looking around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so the meister ignored it as she melted against her partner. The record player kicked up once more, it's repetitive tune nothing more than background noise as they swayed. _

One came at her from above, attempting to catch her off guard. As it reached elongated claws out to grab her, it suddenly felt searing heat as the scythe lifted up from beneath it, cleanly slicing it in half. It exploded into thick black particles, joining the dozens of others as they were slain one after another by the scythe meister. Black Star and Viktor were taking the creatures down swiftly and silently, giving the element of surprise. The two worked well together, moving in synchrony as they assassinated left and right. With a shared look, the meister swung Tsubaki's chain around Viktor's ankle before pulling hard and digging his heel into the ground. The ninja quickly cleared the radius surrounding them as he became a swinging guillotine, decapitating the demons with ease. With another tug, he was freed, landing next to his comrade and standing back-to-back.

_There were no words exchanged as they moved, their feelings resonating between their souls. Another prickle in the back of her mind. Was there something she was forgetting? Something important? It soon died out and she rested her head against his chest, wrapping her slim arms around his neck while his wrapped around her waist. The music skipped slightly as the needle shifted, but neither paid attention to it. _

Maka planted the scythe into the ground and swung at an incoming attack, her heel landing heavily into the creatures' face. With a high-pitched scream, it evaporated. They were endless, continuously emerging from the surrounding snowbanks. Ametrine was trying to buy time until the clock struck midnight. Glancing at the position of the moon, she knew they were running short on time; it was nearly centered in the starry sky above them. She could hear Black Star and Viktor fighting not too far from her. While the meister wasn't short of breath, the constant flow of demented hybrids was getting tiresome. The familiar sense of pure fear began to grip into her heart, and she whipped around to see one of the massive pre-Kishins bowling through the smaller ones, red eyes locked onto her. Snatching for the bag on her hip, Maka slipped it open and managed to grab one of the small orbs just as the creature reached for her.

"_Maka, dodge!" _Soul screamed as he watched its enormous paw swing for her head, razor sharp claws glistening in the bright moonlight.

A bright orb shot over her and collided with the beast, sending it backwards into the dense forest. Maka didn't need to turn around to see who it was that saved her. Witches began blasting attacks from above, laying down heavy firing coverage for the fighters. Swallowing the orb, the meister quickly flung herself towards the downed creature, Kishin Hunter crackling with dangerous power. It was over in a second as she landed in the snow behind it, crouched low. It had just turned to look at her when it exploded. A madness caked soul drifted slowly into the air, wiggling erratically in place. A small translucent box encased the soul before vanishing.

_The record player suddenly screeched to a halt, the noise deafening in the small room. Looking around, the meister felt confused as the warm that had just enveloped her was gone, Soul nowhere to be seen. The frequency of the prickling increased dramatically and the meister looked around the room; only it was no longer the familiar piano room she saw as a second home. The surroundings began melting into darkness around her and she felt the floor suddenly drop from beneath her, plunging her into its depths as she released a silent scream. When she landed, it felt like she had hit water. It jarred her skeleton as she slowed to a float in the viscous liquid, black blood dress dissolving into nothingness, leaving her bare. Images began speeding past her at a high rate of speed and Maka realized they were her memories; of entering the DWMA, meeting Soul, her friends, fighting Medusa, becoming friends with Chrona, fighting Arachne, making her partner a Death Scythe, fighting Asura, the moon sealing with black blood, Kid becoming Lord Death, becoming a three-star meister, landing in Russia, fighting a pre-Kishin, fighting Ametrine at the DWMA, kissing Soul for the first time, returning to Russia. The pictures after that began to burn, dissolving into ashes before being swallowed into the darkness. _

"_**Reaper, welcome to your final resting place," **__A deep raspy voice cooed all around Maka as she floated weightlessly. __**"Your physical body no longer belongs to you, but to the Kishin Asura. There is no pain, no fear, no emotions, no escape." **_

"_You're—" Maka gagged as hot liquid spewed from her mouth, black blood drops floating through the air. Everything inside of her was on fire, destroying her body from the inside out as she began suffocating on the pain. Organs began shutting down and decaying at a rapid pace. _

"_**You belong to Asura now, so embrace the madness he bestows upon you and serve the rightful ruler of the world." **__The horrendous creature that haunted her mind shifted in front of her, face mimicking the Kishin Asura. __**"Come, child, serve me and fulfill your greatest accomplishment the world has ever known." **_

_It held out a hand, inviting her to a place with no pain, fear, or emotions. Maka felt the tears sting her face as she shakily reached out towards it, desperate for a release from the pain. She paused momentarily as something tugged at her heart, a warm feeling enveloping her body before vanishing. More blood poured from her lips and she curled up, body convulsing violently as it tore itself apart. The inviting hand reached out to her once more, offering a pain-free escape. As soon as they touched, her consciousness plummeted into the darkness as madness caressed her with a loving embrace. _

"_**It's over…she actually fell for it…" **__The little red demon wheezed as he clutched his chest, blood trickling from the edges of his lips. __**"It's been fun…Evans…as much as it pains me to say…I'll miss our little banters…" **_

"_Wh-what's going on…" One moment Soul was holding Maka, then next, she was gone, and the room had begun to dissolve away, absorbing into the darkness. "Oi, ogre, where's Maka? What happened to her?"_

"_**She's been swallowed by Asura's…" **__He coughed violently, dark blood splattering through gnarled fingers. __**"Madness…since I'm dying…that means she is too." **__With one final gasp for air, the demon stilled before he too, was swallowed by the madness._

_Overwhelming pain stabbed him in the chest and the weapon dropped to his knees, gasping for air. It felt like his heart was about to explode from strain. As he began reverting back to human form, there was only one thing on his mind._

"_Maka…"_

Maka stopped dead in her tracks with wide eyes, her hand grasping at her chest desperately as it began beating painfully in distress, a strangled groan slipping between her lips. Ringing in her ears drowned out the battlefield as she fell to her knees in the snow, body going numb. There was a low, muffled noise trying to reach through the vibration, growing increasingly softer. With a slow movement, she looked up towards the soft noise, vision beginning to blur. White hair…red eyes…they seemed so _familiar_…yet as her mind began to be sucked into the depths of abyss, the feeling quietly dissolved away, and she let herself fall into its embrace.

"Maka! Answer me, Maka, you need to stay awake!" Soul yelled as his meister suddenly slumped over into the snow, blank eyes unseeing towards the full moon. "MAKA, DON'T FUCKING DIE ON ME!" He could feel their resonance begin to crumble apart as her heartbeat grew weaker and weaker, her skin paling rapidly.

"Viktor, cover me!" Black Star yelled as he forced his way through the creatures, aiming for his friends. "She better not have, she couldn't have…"

"_Black Star…I think she's…" _Tsubaki sobbed quietly as it dawned on her.

"Don't say it! Maka isn't dead, _she can't die!_" He snarled as he punched a Pre-Kishin out of his way, sending it flying through the air. "She's stronger than this! She's the strongest person I know, damnit!"

As soon as he slid to a stop next to the hunched over body of Soul, he felt his heart drop into his stomach. Maka was stilled, green orbs dull with the lack of life as they stared straight above. She was pale, almost as pale as the snow beneath her as she laid motionless. Black Star released Tsubaki as he fell to his knees, crawling over to his childhood friend with shaking limbs.

"Oi, Maka…this isn't funny…hey, wake up. You've gotta save the world…" Black Star shook her lightly, his mind going numb as she failed to respond.

"Soul…" Tsubaki whispered as she reached out to touch the sobbing weapon, tears pouring down his cheeks. "Soul, please…we need to get her out of here…" The weapon didn't respond.

Soul let out a heart wrenching scream as he felt the final connection snap within him, their resonance becoming non-existent. Tsubaki grabbed him as he lost consciousness, a high fever raging throughout his body at the sudden loss of resonance. Black Star clenched his jaw as he thrust his hand over Maka's heart, his soul wavelength crackling down his arm and into his palm. Without a second thought, he blasted it into her chest. Her body jerked violently from the ground, arching before falling flat once more. With a frustrated scream, the ninja did it again with the same results.

"I won't let you die on me, Maka, I'll fucking kill you if you die!" Black Star screamed as tears slid down his face, landing softly against her DWMA jacket.

"Black Star…_we have to go_…" Tsubaki sobbed as she began dragging Soul away from Maka's body. "Soul will die if we don't do something!"

"You children have nothing to worry about, I'll take good care of her." A sweet voice froze them into place, their neck hairs standing straight up.

Ametrine strolled over to them with a maniacal grin on her face, hands smugly resting on her hips as she looked down at them. Massive Pre-Kishins flanked either side of her, their faces flickering rapidly. They were bigger than the ones encountered in Innopolis, at least twice their size. Tsubaki clutched Soul tightly to her chest as she tried to scoot away, the overwhelming madness radiating off her making her sick. Black Star's hand froze over the still meister, fingers slowly curling into a fist.

"_You…" _

Murderous intent rolled from the ninja as he swayed to his feet unsteadily, head down. A few of the smaller creatures scurried backwards at the explosive force of Black Star's soul wavelength expanding rapidly. The witch merely arched a brow in response as high winds whipped her hair violently behind her. His soul seemed different this time, more erratic and unstable.

"How sweet of you to remember me," Ametrine cooed. "But I'm afraid there isn't time to chat right now. Darling Maka and I—"

A fist slammed into her face and the witch went careening back into a tree, hitting it with a sickening crunch. Black Star stood upright, bringing his fist back to his center. Green eyes morphed into yellow as he glowered at the witch with palpable hatred and disgust. He rocked back on his heels before darting forward, fist drawn back and crackling with energy. Before she could so much as sit up, the ninja latched onto her throat and released the full blast of his wavelength. Ametrine screamed as her body was electrocuted, her skin beginning to peel off as it burned and died.

"_Don't __**ever**__ say her name! You vile fucking witch!" _Black Star screamed.

While the witches swooped in to clear the creatures, Viktor took the opening and landed next to a fearful Tsubaki. Moving quickly, he grabbed Soul and tossed him over his shoulder, offering the weapon a hand. The two quickly backed away to a safe area as Black Star continued to electrocute and pummel the witch.

A ringing noise startled the teen and she looked around confused before realizing it was coming from her backpack. Scrambling to open the bag with shaky fingers, the weapon finally cut the bag with her blade before dumping its contents into the snow. A blue light was shining from her compact, the one she had brought along for this mission. She held it with wide eyes as Kid's face appeared in the mirror, golden eyes flickering slightly in the reflection.

"_Tsubaki, what's goin—?"_

"Kid…" Tsubaki choked as she stared at the Reaper. "Kid…please, help us…they're not…Maka and Soul…we can't…"

"_Tell me what's going on!" _Kid yelled as he grabbed the sides of the mirror, pushing his face further against it. _"What happened? What about Maka and Soul!" _

The mirror fell from the weapons grasp as a loud explosion sent the three of them flying. In the Death Room, the screen turned white, static flashing across the mirror. More explosions went off and the mirror lost contact.

"Where in the hell is Kim! We need those witches _now!" _Kid barked out as he turned wild eyes to Azusa. "Lock onto the transmission signal and get me coordinates to their exact location! We're out of time—!"

A bright flash filled the Death Room and the room filled with panicked cries, the sound of weapons transforming instantaneous. Blinking hard, Kid squinted at two forms emerging from a cloud of smoke.

"Is that who I think it is…?"

"Sis, look!"

"Thank Shinigami you're here!"

The smoke thinned and the Reaper nearly cried in joy at the sight. Mabaa and her assistant stood a few feet from him. Their clothes were dirty, and exhaustion dragged at their skin, but they were standing. Marie untransformed as did Spirit and Azusa, their tension easing off. Kim rushed back into the room, Eruka and Free following hot on her trail. Kilik, Fire and Thunder, Ox and Harvar followed close behind as well, having forced their way into the Death Room.

"Mabaa-dono…Kim, did you get the barrier to break?" Kid asked, astonished as the witches stood before him. "Forget I asked, we don't have time for this. I hate to ask this of you, Mabaa, not only as Lord Death, but as a friend and ally I beg of you; _please send me to my friends_."

"Nyamuu. Nyamuu, Nyamuu?" Mabaa chirped solemnly as she glanced up at Free, the werewolf looking confused before nodding in understanding.

"Screw the formalities; we need you to kill the with Ametrine for us. Our army isn't enough to hold the creatures off much longer and they can only do long distance attacks. Your side isn't faring too well at the moment either. She wants to know how many to transport and when as well." The tall witch coughed before scrounging for her pipe in her robe, hand trembling slightly.

"Spirit, Marie and Stein, Kilik and Ox, Liz and Patti, and myself. Any objections?" Kid counted off the teams on his fingers; they would have to do.

"Kid, take me and Jackie, we can provide aid." Kim blurted out as she jogged up to him. "If something's happened to them, then we'll give them the better chance of survival."

"I'll stay here and ready the coordinates for Mabaa. Free, you're going with?" Eruka croaked as she set about preparing the spell.

"Yeah. I'll be back soon enough," The werewolf gave her a toothy grin. "I am immortal after all."

"If this is everyone, let's head out. Azusa, I'll be in contact with you throughout the mission. Keep an eye on us." Kid ordered as he stood by Mabaa, Liz and Patty clasped tightly in his hands.

"Yes, Lord Death. Be careful and good luck." The demon weapon added the last part quietly before turning back to her monitors.

"Calculations ready, ribbit. Preparing memory transfer." Eruka croaked. "Transfer complete; you are good to go, Mabaa!"

Magic pulsed strongly throughout the room as Mabaa released her powers. Free stood behind her, transferring the power of her eye back into her body. With a loud _pop_, they were gone. Azusa sighed as she waited for his signal to appear on the screens. This would be the most difficult thing Kid would have to face in his short time as Lord Death. The Death Scythe still worried over him; he was still just a kid who deserved a normal life.

"I hope you can bring them all back safely, Kid."

* * *

**This chapter was definitely more emotional than the others. I rewrote it a few times to make it flow better, so hopefully you guys enjoy it! Next chapter will be out within a week or two.**


	14. Struggle Against the Madness

**To war! **

* * *

That damned DWMA brat actually managed to damage her body in such a way that parts couldn't regenerate. Ametrine growled as she cleared the center of the cave floor, closing her eyes and chanting under her breath. Slowly, a spell tome began glowing brightly, intricate and ancient witches' symbols etching into the dirt. At least she had her intended target; the meister Maka Albarn, possessor of black blood and anti-demon wavelength abilities; not to mention soul perception on top of it. Her heart had stopped, nearly five minutes ago, and her lifeless form had become frigid and stiff. Asura didn't essentially need a heart to survive, but in order to do what she needed to, the girl had to be alive.

As soon as the circle finished forming, the witch strolled over to the table where Maka laid and pressed her hands against her chest. A warm glow flowed down her arms and into the meister, her chest glowing brightly before dying out. After a few moments of no movement, Ametrine was about to transfer more of her life energy to the girl when she suddenly twitched. With two fingers she checked her neck for a pulse; it was weak but growing stronger with every beat. She would remain unconscious, but now that her blood was pumping again, the ritual could continue.

"Mistress, is there anything I can do for you?" Zefirov asked anxiously, shuffling noisily up to the witch with the box of vials in his wrinkled and twisted fingers.

"Why don't you set those down over there for me," Ametrine pointed a delicate nail to a podium settled in front of the spell tome. "Are there still any of your clan left in the village?"

"Ah, apart from the two Elders, I don't believe so." The old ninja carefully set the box down, rubbing the lid lovingly. "It seems they were given an evacuation order before our meeting, so there is no one. Wait, there is Viktor, though he seems to have sided with the DWMA and the witches. Disgraceful, turning his back on his clan in their greatest moment in all of history."

Viktor Leonidovich, one of the highest skilled members of the Hidden Shadow Ninja Clan. It seemed he disappeared shortly before everything began yesterday. Ametrine clenched her jaw. He had sided with the witches and the DWMA, meaning someone above him gave the orders to do so. Either that, or he went rogue; a nagging feeling told her it was the former.

Now that she had sealed herself deep within the caves, she could get to work without disturbance. There were a few hundred Pre-Kishins out there to keep them busy long enough for the ritual to complete. Even her newest ones, the largest she's ever created, would do some serious damage to them. She had to collect stronger souls for those; a quick visit back to the Witches Realm provided what she needed easily. As she gathered her spell book and ingredients, a noise caught her attention.

Maka was in the process of moving her hand, followed by her arm. Watching her closely, it seemed the girl was trying to wake up. Grimacing, the witch kept her eye on her as she continued setting up everything she needed. Even if she woke up, her conscious wouldn't be the same anymore. That curse engraved into her shoulder was proof of that; not only did it take her life at exactly midnight, when the moon was at its highest, but it also infected her with the same amount of madness swirling inside of her own body. There wasn't a clear answer as to whether or not the black blood in her would respond, but it would be made clear once Asura was revived through her.

Getting Asura released from the moon was nearly impossible, something she had learned years ago after the battle ended. Eibon was securely locked inside of Asura and Chrona was the one guarding it. Getting past the black blood wouldn't be too hard, though the problem was that the Kishin would no longer have any blood inside of his body, making it impossible to release him and wreak havoc upon the world. The black magic spell she had found back in the Witches Realm spoke nothing of unleashing Kishins, but the ancient forbidden art of _Madness Transfer_ – a technique where a person of pure blood was to have overwhelming madness injected into their blood stream and theoretically becoming a Kishin vessel. The major downside was the fact that if the madness rejected or was expelled by the host, the caster would receive the damage and turn into a rogue Kishin.

Pain shot through her upper torso and the witch hissed; most of her upper body had been burnt severely from the soul shockwave. It left jagged marks over her chest and up to the base of her jaw, red, angry areas of burnt tissue. Luckily, her explosive blasts seemed to knock them down long enough for her to escape. There wasn't enough time to spend healing herself, so she just dulled the frayed nerve endings enough to focus on the ritual. With a blast of magic, she hit a panel on the caves ceiling; a large chunk of rock blasted outwards, revealing the moon directly overhead. As the light hit the tome, it began to crackle with energy. She had only a few minutes before the moonlight shifted away and her chance would be gone.

Turning around, the witch came face-to-face with the meister, eyes widening in surprise. She shouldn't be able to move much, let alone get _up_. Apart from some color returning to her skin, she still looked deceased and the witch took a step back just in case. The meister didn't move, though, and seemed to be rooted to the spot. Messing with this level of madness was dangerous, especially when it hadn't settled into its host yet. Ametrine took another step back, watching to see if Maka's body would move. It didn't. Grabbing her by the arm, she walked the lifeless body back to the table, grunting with effort as she threw her back on. When it didn't move again, she let out a small sigh before continuing her work, keeping the body in her sight at all times. There was so much to do and so little time…

* * *

_Maka felt numb and empty as she floated along the darkness, slipping in and out of consciousness. The darkness seemed to have lightened up as she could now see around her when before it was pitch black. A warm sensation pulsed in her heart and she soon found her eyes opening slightly. It continued through her body, filling her veins with warmth and energy. Previously damaged organs began to repair themselves, stitching themselves back together like nothing happened. Air entered her lungs and she greedily pulled in more, coughing heavily as her throat became scratchy. After her body calmed down, she looked down to see she was completely naked. Ancient markings covered nearly every inch of her body, glowing as they were weaving and twisting across her flesh like a book page. They seemed familiar, but her mind was having trouble remembering anything. _

"_**Maka Albarn…so, we meet again." **_

_Maka Albarn? Was that who she was? The teen turned around to see a heavily clothed man sitting with his legs folded in the air, palms resting openly in his lap. His black and white hair and red eyes seemed so familiar, but she couldn't place it. _

"_Wh-who are you?" Maka rasped out, clearing her throat. "What are we doing in here?"_

"_**Ah, I see what's going on here now," **__the man unfolded his legs and floated to a stop in front of her. He grabbed her face with one hand, turning it this way and that as he studied her. __**"The madness has taken over your mind, sealing your personal memories. It's probably for the best; memories just include fear, fear that could devour your very soul." **_

_Releasing her face, the man ran his gaze over her body, studying the markings with vague interest. Heat creeped up her neck and Maka curled her body up, covering up her sudden indecency. _

"_**Oh, please, like you're anything special to look at." **__He said blankly, pushing her legs away to continue reading. __**"Ah, here it is. Look, right here," **_

_Maka looked down to where he was pointing at; a set of symbols centered directly on her chest. _

"_What does it mean?"_

"_**This scripture right here, it's missing something important. There are two words that are written similarly but have two completely different meanings. What this says**__**is 'Corruption/Imprisonment'. What it should be written as is 'Madness/Uncontained'. If anyone were to mess up and use the spell containing that wrong phrase, it would cause their soul to become corrupted and drive them to insanity."**_

_With a jagged nail, the man traced it across her chest, following the scriptures as they wrapped around her body, mumbling under his breath as he read along to it. Maka tried to stay still as the sensation creeped her out, wanting to push him away though the curiosity got the better of her. _

"_So, if someone tried to use this spell, what would happen to them?"_

"_**Like I told you, they would be drawn into insanity and their soul would become corrupted. Since your soul is a very rare and special one, you'd probably survive with little to no side effects." **__He stopped once more, this time around her center. __**"Hmmm, that's odd. There's a line here that should be glowing, but it isn't. It seems to be dormant—"**_

_As soon as the man grazed the dull symbols, electricity zapped his hand away, crackling angrily before settling back down. A twisted smile adorned his face and he began laughing, grabbing his stomach as he doubled over. Maka jerked back in surprise, looking down at the letters. With slow movements, she inched her finger closer until she was just barely touching the words. Nothing happened. Thoroughly confused, she pressed harder, even trying to rub at it to no avail. _

"_**It seems you're stronger than you seem, girl." **__The man wiped away a tear as he straightened up. __**"Your soul is so powerful that it has resistance to overwhelming madness that would consume you whole. Hmm, it probably has something to do with your anti-demon wavelength and Grigori soul shape. I wonder if the black blood still resides within you as well,"**_

"_I have no idea what you're saying…" Maka said dumbly. The man glanced at her and shrugged, not a care in the world. _

"_**I'm sure you'll find out when the spell is activated. I'll be needing to borrow your body now."**_

_The man thrust his hand into her chest, wrapping his fingers around the inside of her ribs before snapping them open. searing pain filled her, and she screamed as he widened the hole, using both hands to spread them further open. Black blood gushed out in large globs, wiggling angrily as they floated away. With an eager look and a tongue running over his lips, he plunged himself into her body and darkness soon washed over Maka, plunging her into the abyss of unconsciousness. _

* * *

They had landed at the edge of a village, supposedly the one that housed the Hidden Shadow Ninja clan. It was right around midnight and the moon was still high in the sky, it's black veil seemingly translucent. Kid bowed to the witches as they teleported away, taking their forces and leaving his team and Free to fend for themselves. The first thing the Reaper noticed was the horrendous screeching echoing loudly through the forest; the second was a handful of said screeching creatures running right at them, ravenous snarls ripping from their twisted jaws.

"Kilik, Ox, take care of these ones and regroup once they're taking care of." Kid ordered as he blasted one in the face. "Free, scout ahead and clear anything that's in the path since you can better in the dark. Kim, Stein, and Spirit are on me."

Free charged ahead as the two meisters stayed behind, clearing the outer perimeter. Kid rushed through the snow-covered village, golden eyes darting left and right for enemies. As they trekked onward, the screaming seemed to get louder the deeper past the houses they ventured.

"_What's this black stuff falling from the sky?" _Patty asked curiously.

"_It looks creepy to me. Try not to touch it, Patty," Liz said uneasily._

"If I had a guess, it would be the remnants of whatever these creatures are," Stein pondered as he rubbed some between his fingers. "I'll take some back to the lab and do an analysis on it."

A familiar wavelength smacked the Reaper in the face, and he slowed, a sensation of unease washing over him. It was Black Star, alright, but there was something different about it. Stein noticed too, slowly cranking the screw atop his head. It felt like his soul had become _wild_; it was erratic with emotions and wavering violently. Tsubaki's was not too far from his, along with Soul's and another he didn't recognize.

"Where's Maka, can you sense her?" Spirit huffed out as he brought up the rear of the group, clearly out of shape.

Kid pressed his perception further, scanning for the familiar soul of his friend. His level was nothing near Maka's, but he could still see a good distance. There was something flickering dimly in the distance, but it was fuzzy and hard to tell what it was.

"There's something in the distance, but I can't see it clearly. Let's focus on mov—"

A large creature suddenly slammed into the building next to them, debris flying in every direction as it rained over them. Everyone braced themselves for it to crawl back to its feet, but instead it began dissolving into thick black particles that blanketed the now gray snow.

"Look, over there!" Kim shouted as she pointed to the top of a dilapidated shrine.

"_Is that… Black Star?"_ Marie asked. He was knocking back enemy after enemy at full strength, ruthless in his attacks.

"Yeah. Something's wrong with him, keep your distance for now." Kid warned. He could handle a fight with the ninja, the others would just be crushed by his inhuman strength.

"K-Kid, is that you…?" A weak voice called from inside of a collapsed house.

"Tsubaki? Are you alright?" Kid called as he made his way through the rubble, the snow making it difficult to trek. "Do you have any injuries? How's Soul?" No answer.

He reached the back part of the house, seemingly untouched by the surrounding carnage, and found the weapon sat up against the corner with Soul lying beside her. A small candle was lit on an aged end table, giving a small amount of light in the blackened room. Blood had trickled down from her hairline, coating her porcelain skin deep red. She seemed weak but was at least conscious. Soul, on the other hand, was sweating profusely and his skin was pale and clammy. Kim pushed her way through and began working immediately, soothingly talking to Tsubaki.

"Tsubaki, what happened?" Kid kneeled on the other side of her, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "What's going on here?"

"Kid, you need to get Black Star…he…after Maka…" The weapon broke down, quietly sobbing. "He snapped…we couldn't save…Soul has been unconscious for a while…"

"I can explain everything. You are Lord Death, no?" A figure appeared in front of the group, silent as the night as he dropped in from the broken roof. "I am Viktor, the inside contact for the witches."

"Viktor, what happened here?" Kid forwent the formalities, turning to stare into translucent eyes.

"The short version is witch Ametrine is holed up in the caverns below the village, in the process of releasing Asura from his moon imprisonment. Maka Albarn…" He hesitated, glancing over the group until his eyes landed on Spirit. "You are her father, no? I can see you in her."

"I am, what's happened to my daughter?" Spirit asked tersely, fists clenched at his side.

"I am…sorry. Tsubaki filled me in with further information after it happened."

"_What happened to my daughter!" _The death scythe snarled as he closed the distance and grabbed the ninja by the front of his ninja-yoroi. "Did she—"

"She…died…"

Heads whirled around to see Soul opening his eyes slightly, Kim moving her magic over his body. It was just barely above a whisper, but the words rang clearly in the small room. Spirit released the man and stumbled backwards, hitting a wall before sliding down it, in shock. Kid froze in place and Stein chose to glare at the floor, glasses concealing his eyes.

"We couldn't…there was a curse engraved into her back, we couldn't stop it from happening." Tsubaki added, sitting up a little straighter. "Black Star tried to save her, tried _so hard_…"

"Where…" Kid swallowed the lump in his throat and tried again. "Where is her…"

"Ametrine took her body to complete the unleashing of Asura. Black Star went after the witch and dealt a good amount of damage, but then there were explosions and we were knocked out for a while, hence her head wound." Viktor supplied as he sat on a rusted bed frame, the springs groaning loudly.

"The resonance link between Soul and Maka was severed when…" Tsubaki hesitated, not wanting to say it. "He's been out since that moment. And Black Star…"

"Went nuts," Kid finished. He felt like his legs were going to give out if he didn't sit soon.

It was silent for what felt like eternity, nobody wanting to speak as the news settled. Around them they could hear the destructive force of the ninja ranging on, screams of anguish filling the air.

"How do we get into the caverns, Viktor? We need to focus on stopping Ametrine before she unleashes Asura." Stein spoke first, lighting up a cigarette.

"She has sealed the caverns off, unfortunately, and there is no other way in or out without creating an opening ourselves." The ninja supplied quietly, watching with slight awe as the injuries began to vanish from Tsubaki. "I…feel like I have failed you, Lord Death, for being unable to protect your students as foretold by the reading fire and my Elders. I will accept any punishment you deem appropriate."

"Worry about that later, right now I need someone who can find me a way into those caverns and kill Ametrine." Kid stood in front of the defeated man, amber eyes burning bright. "Are you able to stand by my side and assist in a potentially fatal mission or not?"

Viktor looked up, studying the intensity of Kid's face. With a steeled will, the ninja stood, cracking his back, neck and fingers before locking eyes with the Reaper.

"I swear my loyalty to you, Lord Death, for as long as needed."

"Good. Now let's go grab that idiot before he causes anymore damage."

"I'm coming with, Kid," Tsubaki grunted as she pushed herself off the wall. "I know I can reach him, we're still resonating, though just barely. You focus on reaching Ametrine."

"I'm counting on you, Tsubaki. Be careful." The weapon nodded before running from the room. "Stein, Viktor, let's go. We have a witch to hunt."

Glancing at Spirit, the death scythe was motionless as he slumped against the wall. Kim noticed the look and let out a small sigh, sending a pitying look to the man.

"I'll watch him, too, I guess."

Kid nodded before turning and climbing back through the crumbled house. Black Star was still wreaking havoc, knocking back any enemy that launched at him with ease. He could sense Tsubaki closing in on him, approaching from behind him slowly. The Reaper felt useless as they ran through the dense forest; Maka had died, Soul was suffering from the severance of soul resonance, Spirit was down for the count, and Tsubaki had to attempt to reign her partner in before he leveled the entire mountainside. As Lord Death, his goal was to pacify the world from madness and corruption, yet he couldn't even save his friends from a deranged witch.

Magic pulsated deep within the woods, vibrating the ground every so often as they moved closer. There were no signs of creatures in the area, something that unnerved the meister, and it was absolutely silent. No birds, no creatures, no wind. Madness seemed to be spreading little by little with each pulse, spreading it slowly towards the village. Kid and Viktor seemed the least affected by the madness, while Stein seemed to struggle a little.

"_Stein keep control of yourself," _Marie snapped as she tried to extinguish the madness swirling within him.

"I'm fine, Marie, I can handle this amount with little issue. Let's keep going," He could feel it itching, wanting to spread and unleash itself in his body.

"There, the barrier blocking the cave entrance." Viktor pointed to a pile of boulders just down the hillside. "There is no use trying to break it, so I will try to find a way to destroy the area around it."

"Go." Kid nodded and watched the ninja leap weightlessly through the air, landing weightlessly on a tree branch overhanging above the cave.

"Can you sense it, Kid?" Stein eyed Lord Death with a heavy look, his lips twitching at random. "Down below,"

"Yeah, I feel it. She's down there, Stein," Kid tightened his grip on Liz and Patty. "There's someone else down there, too. And…a third soul that I can't distinguish…"

"It's a soul filled with the madness of Asura judging from the strength of it. If she needed Maka to be the gate to unleashing him…"

"Then maybe she's become the vessel…"

* * *

Tsubaki inched closer to her meister, the force of his soul wavelength making it difficult. He hadn't noticed her yet, blasting anything that launched at him with a fury that rivaled Hades. She could feel their resonance shaking wildly, his soul trying to break free from her hold on him. It was painful to keep the connection going, as she felt his emotions raging erratically, but if it were to be disconnected it could cause him to be swallowed by the grief.

"Black Star! I need you to listen to me!" Tsubaki yelled over the harsh winds, shielding her face as she inched closer to him. "Kid is here now, you can stop. Soul has even woken up, so please—"

The weapon barely had time to dodge a powerful swipe at her head, the slippery roof moving her out of the way in time. Black Star was close to losing himself, his eyes burning brightly yellow with the Star Clan signa. She could feel their connection stretching thin as he delved deeper into the abyss.

"She's not coming back…Maka isn't coming back…" The ninja muttered over and over, as he continued strikes against his partner, mind void. "She's never coming back…_she's not fucking coming back!_"

Tsubaki ducked low to avoid a punch and swept her foot out, catching him behind the knees. He buckled and fell to one knee, panting heavily as he struggled to keep control. She reached for his shoulder when the sound of electricity caused her to jerk back, narrowly avoiding the blast aimed at her face. Black Star staggered to a stand, rolling his head back to look at her with crazed eyes. Pulling a weapon on him wouldn't do either of them any good, so the weapon stayed on the defensive, striking when he left himself open. Sending soothing soul wavelengths seemed to have little effect as he continued to strike at her. The blood loss from earlier caused her vision to swim and she sank to her knees, the world spinning violently around her. He stopped in front of her, looking down at her weakened form with hesitation. Tsubaki could feel his soul quivering with mixed emotions, rapidly switching back and forth between angry and confused.

"Black Star, please listen to—!" The weapon grunted as her meisters foot suddenly connected with her stomach, red tinted spit flying from her mouth as she was thrown, rolling across the sharp clay tiles. With a hand stretched out, she caught the very edge of the roof, saving her from certain death.

Coughing, the weapon gasped for breath, blood trickling from her lips as she tried to get her bearings. She could feel a gash across her face begin to bleed, the hot sticky substance trailing down her chin. Black Star stood above her, eyes burning hot as he glared at her. Tears stung her eyes and Tsubaki looked up at the man she loved, looking at her with pure anger and distrust. She couldn't fight him, not because he was stronger, but because it would hurt _her_.

"You promised me, Black Star, earlier," The roof tile cracked under the added weight. "You promised me you would always protect me, even if it cost you your life, remember? If my words can't reach you, then maybe my actions will."

Tsubaki felt the tile snap and she closed her eyes as gravity took over. She trusted her partner completely, even when his mind and soul weren't sound; she knew he would save her. A few seconds had passed, the ground was growing closer and closer. The head injury from earlier drained the energy from her and she briefly contemplated just allowing herself to enjoy the fall. Her eyes cracked opened to see a decorative sharp ornament on the shrines lower roof jutting out, right where her spine would directly hit. With a grunt, she began to twist her body to catch herself, when something slammed into her from the side and latched around her. A deep snowbank cushioned the impact and the weapon let out a held breath as she relaxed into it, heart pounding against her chest.

"I knew that would do it," She opened her eyes to stare at her partner, yellow iris now back to green.

"Tsubaki…" Black Star wiped the blood from her cheek with his thumb, examining for other wounds. "Did I…"

"You're back to normal, that's all that matters right now. More importantly, Kid needs our help." Tsubaki moved to get up but found herself pinned against her meister, his arms tightly around her.

"I'm sorry, 'Baki, for not protecting you like I said I would. I even hurt you myself…"

"Black Star…"

"No, I need to say it. I fucked up, big time, I don't deserve your forgiveness; _I hurt you, Tsubaki. _I can't make up for that, I have no excuses." His voice was muffled against her shoulder, his breath tickling the exposed part of her neck. "I could have seriously injured you or killed you. I wouldn't be able to handle that."

"And I forgive you; you weren't in your right mind. I'll be fine, but Black Star," Gently pushing him back so they were eye-to-eye, the weapon cradled his face, pushing stray hairs from his eyes. "Kid went after Ametrine with Stein and Viktor just a few minutes ago. If you want to repay me, then you can start by forgiving yourself and getting up. Now is the time to use that anger and grief to take her down and avenge Maka." Tsubaki squished his cheeks together, trying to get her message across faster. "Now get your ass up and get to work!"

Black Star remained quiet, searching her eyes as she gave him a hard look. A laugh slipped past his lips, earning a puzzled look in return. He pressed his lips hard against hers for a few moments before pulling back, watching her face heat up.

"You're right as always, 'Baki. Kinda hot when you take charge like that, gotta admit."

"J-Just get off of me already!"

* * *

Everything was perfect. Maka was centered motionless in the tome, the moon was mostly overhead, and she could feel the madness squirming inside of her, restless as it waited for its freedom. Grabbing one of the glass vials, she readied herself. Opening the book to the marked page, she poured most of her magic over it, along with the madness vial, and the book greedily accepted it all. After the toll was paid, she began to chant.

"_Hear upon thy will, Creator of Madness; I call thy name to serve, to honor, to respect thy legacy. Speak upon thy will, so thou shalt be released from thine chains. See upon thy will, so thou shall return to reclaim what is rightful. I offer a sacrifice, great Kishin Asura, to be thy servant on Earth, to wreak havoc in thy name. I call upon thee to release! Madness Transfer!" _

The ground began to shake violently as the spell tome ignited and electricity sparked along the edges, connecting the lines together. Maka's body began to float towards the moonlight, her eyes slowly opening as the madness began to pump through her veins. Ametrine held her breath in anticipation as everything came together smoothly, excitement ready to burst from her chest.

A bright light exploded from the hill a short distance from the cave entrance as dark magic and madness poured over the land, decaying the trees and melting the snow instantaneously. Kid braced against the tree he and Stein sought refuge in as the shockwaves had increased, the branches shaking violently. Viktor darted out of the way just as the cave entrance shifted and collapsed, shattering the magic barrier into pieces. Landing just above them, he ripped his mask down, grimacing at the beam as it shot towards the moon.

"Don't tell me she's finished the ritual," Kid growled as he eyed the madness speeding closer to them.

"Gaining entrance by the beam could be a deadly risk, so let us blast the cave entrance, but we need to move fast. If she continues, there will not be a world left to save." Viktor removed three medium-sized metal balls from his sling, chucking them hard towards the rock pile. Upon impact, they let off a massive explosion that blasted the rocks into smaller chunks. The smoke cleared to reveal an opening, big enough for two people to fit through.

"Move yer ass, Kid, before I kill this bitch myself!" Black Star yelled as he blurred past him, leaving an ident in the trees bark from kicking off.

"I suggest we do as he says, I don't want to hear him bragging about it for weeks on end." Stein gave a lopsided grin, tossing his cigarette aside. The madness was making him feel good.

The three men quickly followed after the ninja, hitting the ground running. Black Star blasted through the rocks with his soul wavelength, expanding the opening to the size of a small crater, before vanishing into the depths. Just as Stein finished passing through the entrance, madness crashed past them, sealing their only exit.

**~*B*~**

Ametrine realized too late that something went wrong as Maka's body stopped floating most of the way out of the cave and turned towards her, arm outstretched and palm facing her. Madness and magic blasted towards the witch and she screamed as the spell backfired. It sent her crashing backwards towards the cavern walls, jagged rocks puncturing and tearing her body apart.

"_**Your efforts are futile, Witch Ametrine," **_A deep voice emitted from Maka's mouth, her eyes burning a deep red, swirling with madness. _**"Had you noticed sooner; your soul wouldn't become food for my madness." **_

Maka's body suddenly turned black as night as it began to morph, stretching and widening to a taller form. With a burst of madness and black blood, Asura appeared, floating easily in the air. As he descended, red eyes darted around, observing the area with little interest. A movement caught his eye and his wraps secured over his face in fear, his body tensing up.

"L-Lord Asura…" Zefirov stuttered as he fell to his knees in awe, hastily bowing low. "I am at your service, my Lord." Asura eyed the elderly man, a sneer on his lips.

"The only thing people like you are good for is _food_!"

Zefirov had barely looked up when a hand was thrust through his chest, a hand clenched tightly around his soul. Blood dribbled down his chin as he took one last shaky breath, watching as his soul was ripped from his body. Asura licked his lips anxiously, lifting the wiggling soul above his head, mouth open wide. How many years had it been since his last meal? Just as he went to enjoy his meal, a sharp object sliced his wrist clean off. With little effort it grew back, shooting out from the depths of his arm and reattaching seamlessly.

"Like _hell _yer gonna eat that soul!" Black Star snarled as Tsubaki returned to him, rotating at top speed in Shuriken mode.

"Kishin Asura, under the law of my Father and myself, I will destroy you once and for all." Kid glared dangerously at the Kishin, lines of Sanzu glowing as his soul wavelength expanded.

"Ah, _brother_, what a nice reunion this is." Asura twitched as he looked towards the Reaper, fear writhing inside of him. "But I'm afraid I can't stay too long. Afterall, I'm just here for her soul." Pointing at Ametrine, the Kishin shot one of his scarves at her, aiming for her chest.

A blast of electricity deflected the hand back at Asura, the attack racing up the arm and aiming for his head. With a twitch of his finger, the attack was extinguished as the appendage was swiftly removed. It regrew moments later, angrily slithering at his side. Stein widened his stance in front of Ametrine, Mjolnir bursting with soul wavelength energy as he glared up at the Kishin.

"I'm afraid that soul isn't yours for the taking, Kishin Asura."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong," Asura cracked open his face coverings, narrowed eye glinting mischievously. "You see, she failed to notice that her spell was incorrectly worded; meaning, instead of unleashing madness upon the world, all she did was cause it to backfire onto herself. Therefore, her soul now belongs to the madness and will become corrupt, turning her into a Kishin like myself."

"I will not permit you to do such a thing." Viktor appeared silently behind Asura, blade swinging down over his head.

With fluid like movements, the Kishin dodged the sharp blade before slapping the ninja away like a pesky fly. Viktor used the blade to brace himself as he landed, digging his feet into the dirt floor. Black Star switched Tsubaki to Uncanny Sword mode, standing slightly in front of the white clad ninja as he gathered himself.

"Wait, don't attack him so recklessly!" Stein threw out his arm, stalling the meisters. "It's in there, underneath the madness…Maka's soul, I can sense it."

"_What?"_ Liz asked, incredulous. _"She's…alive?"_

"Bullshit, Stein, _I watched her die!"_ Black Star clenched his jaw as the memory flashed in his mind.

"That may have been the case, but I can sense it too." Kid narrowed his eyes, watching her soul spark intermittently beneath the madness. "Avoid full strength attacks, we don't want to hurt Maka."

Asura felt the girl's soul pulse within him, trying to break through the madness at the sound of Kid's voice. With a hand resting against his chest, he closed his mask once more. He wouldn't have long before she broke free, purging the darkness from her soul.

* * *

_Floating in darkness got old pretty quick. He wasn't sure how long he had been there, but it felt like hours, at least. Soul felt like his whole world had been destroyed, his body numb as he stayed in suspended animation. His mind was blank as he stared ahead, waiting for the inevitable embrace of death. But so far, it was just darkness as far and wide as he could see. With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes; not that it made a difference in his current situation, but it made him feel slightly human again. _

"_How the hell did everything turn out this way?" The weapon mumbled to no one in particular. _

"_I wondered about that too," A soft voice responded, startling the weapon from his thoughts. _

_Pushing himself up, he stared at a distant light growing brighter as it neared. Rubbing his eyes heavily, to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, he blinked away the dark spots before looking again. Their outline was blurred, but he could tell it was human. At least, he hoped it was. _

"_Please tell me you're the Grim Reaper here to put me out of my miserable and pitiful self-wallowing floating party." The figure giggled. Wait, giggled? Do Reapers giggle? He must've ingested something weird._

"_You didn't eat anything weird, I'm pretty sure, but I guess I am in a way, but not the one you're thinking right now."_

"_So…an angel? You're really not helping me figure this out." Soul sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He really wasn't in the mood to play games right now._

"_You used to think I wasn't anything like an angel, years ago during our flying training." That caused him to freeze._

_Whipping his head up, he came face to face with his meister, her smile warm as she floated to a stop. She was wearing a white strapless dress with matching short heels and elbow length gloves, her sandy waves flowing freely around her. In that moment, she looked like the most beautiful angel he had ever seen. His hand reached out to touch her, hesitantly, unsure if she was real or a mirage. _

"_You…I felt it, __**saw you**__…you died, Maka. Wait, does this mean I died too? Are we both dead now? That's fucking uncool…" A delicate hand reached out and touched his, gently guiding it to rest over her heart. It was beating steady and strong._

"_I'm not entirely sure what's going on myself; I think this is just my subconscious beginning to awaken. I heard Kid's voice and I think that caused my soul to react." The smile slipped from her face and she looked at him with sorrowful eyes. _

"_What's wrong?" Soul asked as he cupped her cheek, brushing the hair from her eyes with his free hand. She felt warm beneath his touch._

"_I'm sorry, Soul, for putting you through so much pain and grief. I should have told you sooner about the marking, but I was scared to. And now…" The meister chewed on her lip as she looked down, avoiding his gaze. _

"_Hey, it's not your fault, so stop blaming yourself. Look at me, Maka," He lifted her chin up to meet his gaze. "We'll find a way out of this, don't worry. You're standing here, that means you're still alive out there. I'm going to find you, I promise. I won't lose you again." _

"_I know you will, Soul, and I'll be waiting." Maka gave him a watery smile. _

_The light absorbing her body suddenly died out and the meister twisted away from him in fear. A scream erupted from her as she doubled over, angry red lines bursting from the center of her chest and swirling around in the darkness. The pristine white dress burned away as words twisted and wrapped themselves around her body like vines, leaving her naked and vulnerable. _

"_Maka!" Soul shouted as he reached out to grab her only to be forced back by an invisible wall. He pounded his fists against it, trying to reach his meister. _

_Madness swirled around her as it began to consume her, tearing at her flesh like hundreds of sharpened blades. Fear filled her eyes as she threw her head back to look at Soul, tears streaming down her face. She threw her arm out in attempt to reach him as the darkness swallowed her chest. Soul was pushed back as the barrier expanded, the invisible wall shocking his every touch. He watched in terror as Maka was nearly consumed by the darkness, feeling completely helpless. _

"_I need you…to wake up!" Maka gasped between choked breaths as it reached her neck. "Come to me, Soul…wake up and come back to me!" _

* * *

**Holy. Shit. This was intense, even for me to write. I did redo it a few times since a lot of it became random once I got tired. Not too sure how many more chapters there will be, but for now, the battle continues!**


	15. Downfall

**I'm running out of things to say before the story, so here we go!**

* * *

_They were screaming, crying, begging, __**pleading**__ for release from their imprisonment in the overwhelming madness. Their cries echoed in Maka's head and she tried to shut them out to no avail. She had been swallowed into a deeper part of the darkness, one where no light would shine. It kept her chained down, black tendrils locking her ankles in place. No matter how hard she pulled, whacked at, screamed at, and even gnawed at, to her own embarrassment, they would not budge. So, she just floated in the darkness, beginning to come to terms with her impending demise._

_For those brief few minutes, she held her hopes up that she was close to being freed once she saw Soul. He was being melodramatic, but otherwise seemed okay floating in the darkness. The look he had, though, as she was being torn away from him once more left her heart aching. It was still vivid in her mind, of when she died, of him crouched over her crying before darkness overcame her. _

"_**You are not one of us…" **_

_Maka snapped out of her thoughts to see the soul of an elderly man wavering nearby. _

"_No, I'm not. I've been trapped here by the Kishin Asura as he uses my body." Maka watched the soul bob back and forth, as if it were in thought. _

"_**We were stolen from our journey to our eternal resting place by Asura we do not seek revenge though we wish to seal him away so he may not hurt others."**_

"_How do you plan to do that? You're all trapped here in the madness," Maka studied the orb closely, waiting for any type of reaction from it. "And so am I. I don't know how to escape this place and return to my body."_

"_**We may be of assistance, young child…" **__Another soul piped in from behind her; this time it was the soul of a young woman. __**"We shall use you as a means of escape and Asura will be sealed. I can tell you possess a powerful soul, as did some of us…"**_

"_How do you plan to remove me from these binds?" The darkness had reached her thighs, immobilizing her legs. "My soul's wavelength isn't enough right now without my weapon to break through the madness controlling me."_

"_**It's something you know very well, a technique, a special one…" **__One of the souls cooed as it wiggled slowly from beside her. __**"Only those with a strong soul and special abilities may hope to wield its powers."**_

"_Chain Resonance…" It dawned on the meister as she looked at the field of souls around her. "Of course! If I link all of the souls together, it should be enough to override Asura's madness." The darkness had encased more than half of her body by now, slowly edging its way upwards. She was running out of time. _

"_**We shall give you our strength to break free, but be warned; there are risks that could prove fatal if done incorrectly…" **_

"_I'll do whatever it takes to free us all from the madness. You have my word that you will rest in peace." Maka vowed as she placed a hand over her chest, showing her vow to them._

_The souls began to harmonize, their dull blue glows growing brighter as they chanted. Slowly, they began to connect to one another, their glow brightening with each soul resonating. The darkness hissed and recoiled at the light, twitching angrily beneath them. _

_Maka took a deep breath in, then out. Closing her eyes, she focused. All of the souls were mapped out in her mind, and one by one, she began to connect to them all. The madness convulsed angrily as it reached her chest, so close to swallowing her whole. She was almost there, just a few dozen more…_

_It had reached the top of her head, just seconds from enveloping her in eternal madness. With one final push, it sealed her body away, joining her with the other imprisoned souls for eternity. _

_Just as it began to harden, a crack appeared. A small one at first, but it gradually began to travel downward, widening as it went. Blue light began to seep through the cracks and with a thunderous explosion, the madness was vaporized into nothingness. In its place stood Maka, her body illuminated with the warm blue light of a soul. Her once marked and naked form was now covered with a billowing white dress, matching gloves adorning her arms. She floated barefoot just above the swirling madness beneath her, her soul wavelength keeping it at bay. Cracking her eyes open, bright emerald eyes shone as her lips formed the words. _

"_Chain Resonance,"_

* * *

Kim sat back, exhausted after using most of her energy to heal Soul. The fever had died down and some color returned to his skin, but he wasn't out of the woods yet. Just from what she knew about soul resonance breakage, most people died from the rapid fever, usually within a few minutes. But Soul was still alive, far past the timeframe. Maybe there was something different with him and Maka, but with her passing, there wasn't any way to tell for sure.

"I don't hear anymore fighting," Jacqueline commented quietly, handing her meister an energy bar from her bag. "Maybe that's a good thing."

"No, something still feels off. There's a massive amount of magic brewing underground not too far from here." It was dark magic, forbidden for hundreds of years, but the witch kept that part to herself. "Let's just hope Kid and the others made it in time."

"Oh, I thought I heard your voices."

The girls turned to see Kilik and Ox standing the in the doorway, Free towering behind them. They were covered in the strange black substance that blanketed the town but seemed to be without injury. The meisters took a seat on the rusted bed frame, the springs groaning dangerously from the weight. Free took up residence in the corner, remaining quiet while the group chatted.

"How's he doing?" Kilik asked quietly, motioning to the still unconscious Soul. His mind, body, and soul were still trying to heal from the explosive loss.

"He hasn't been awake since earlier, but his fever is down for now." Kim sighed as she sighed tiredly, shifting to sit against the bed frame. "From what I know, most people don't survive just a few minutes after a traumatic severance, but he's been going for a while now."

"Well, they do have the strongest bond in all of the DWMA," Ox pointed out as he cleaned his glasses. "There must be something keeping him comatose. I wonder if Maka is still alive somehow and her lifeforce is connected to his, keeping him alive."

"How would that even work? Can you even share a lifeforce between two people?" Kilik wondered as Fire and Thunder played in some snow.

"I have the witch Mabaa's eye, which makes me immortal." Free pointed a claw to the witch's eye.

"But Mabaa-dono is a _witch_, of course our powers are stronger than regular humans. I wonder if their link is just that strong," Kim frowned in thought.

"It'll take a lot more than that to break us apart."

"H-Holy shit, Eater! Don't scare us like that!" Kim squealed as she whacked at him, landing a hit on his chest. "You need to lay back down, you're still not—"

"Maka, she…she came to me in the darkness and pulled me out." Soul winced as he sat up and turned to look at the girls, eyes wide. "I… the connection is back; I can feel her. I need to get to her before the Kishin arrives." The weapon pushed himself from the ground, stumbling from standing up too fast.

"Wait, _Kishin?_ There's one coming?" Jaqueline whispered behind her hands, eyes wide with fear.

"Wait a minute, Soul, we don't even know where they're at." Ox pointed out as he grabbed the weapon to stable him. "You can't just rush into battle without a meister. What the hell are you gonna do, go around stabbing people?"

"If I fucking have to! Maka needs my help and I need to find her _now_."

"I can find her with my nose," Free pointed to his face. "But I think they're further in the woods where there was a massive beam of magic."

"Well, I guess it's settled then. Fire, Thunder, you ready?" The twins nodded, waddling over to their meister.

"W-Wait a minute! You can't just suddenly decide to leave! What about Spirit? He's in no condition to leave and Jackie and I can't carry him if we need to leave." Kim jumped to her feet, swiftly moving to block the doorway. "Besides, Kid, Stein, and that Russian guy are there, most likely Black Star is as well by now."

Spirit twitched slightly at his name being used, but continued to sit in a silenced stupor, eyes staring blankly ahead.

"I already know where Maka is; her soul is calling out to me. Free, stay here with the girls in case something happens. Kilik, Ox, you ready to move?" Soul turned and stared at his friends with calm eyes. "Send a flare if something goes wrong, one of them will come back and help."

"Argh, you boys are so annoying!" Kim pulled at her hair, glaring at each of them with her hands planted on her hips.

"We can handle things here, now go. Maka's waiting for you." Jacqueline smiled at Soul while pulling Kim out of the way.

Soul flashed her a toothy grin before running from the room, Ox and Kilik right behind him. Kim rubbed the sides of her temple, feeling a headache coming on.

"He could've at least said _thank you_,"

* * *

They could only stay on the defensive as Asura struck over and over, relentless in his attacks. Knowing Maka was inside of his body, there was no way they could attack without being sure if it would affect her or not. Stein was slowly becoming wilder, letting loose attacks that were borderline reckless as the madness infected him. Marie was no longer getting through to him as he activated Izuna, firing rapid wavelength attacks against the Kishin.

"We can't keep this shit up forever," Black Star growled as he deflected another of Vajra's spears, the explosion rattling the cavern. "Kid, can you still sense her?"

"It's there, but it seems to be growing fainter." Kid grimaced. "I don't know what's happening inside of there, but we need to keep fighting on this end to ensure her safety."

"You all are nothing more than mere flies, being swatted down so easily." Asura mused as he removed his facial coverings. "Ah, it seems we have more guests arriving."

"Who the hell are you talking about?" Black Star snarled as he centered the Infinity sword against his center.

"Well, it's about time you joined us." Kid smiled as he stood back up, looking over his shoulder at the figure behind him.

Soul casually strolled in and stood between Kid and Black Star, giving them a small grin. Black Star took one look at him before barking out a laugh, clapping him on the shoulder. Ox and Kilik flanked around them, eyeing the scene before them with caution. With a lazy glance between the skewered witch and Asura, the weapon let out a sigh as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"I'm gone for less than an hour and you two have managed to find not one, but _two_ Kishins. The hell, now I gotta work."

"Figured we'd save the all the good stuff for ya," Black Star grinned.

"As accurate as Black Star's statement is, I do believe it's rude to keep our guest waiting." Kid straightened his stance, realigning Liz and Patty to be symmetrical.

"I'm more concerned about missing my date. Wouldn't wanna keep Maka waiting." Soul gave a wide grin, red eyes landing on Asura.

Asura was trembling as he took in the added fighters, gnawing on his nails anxiously as his eyes darted between them. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't supposed to _happen_. The Kishin opened his mouth wide, another of Vajra's spears protruding from his jaw, aimed at the students below him. Just as he went to release the attack, something tingled within his chest. Looking down, he could feel something boiling inside of him, reaching for the surface. The spear dropped from his mouth, clattering loudly on the ground as he began to panic.

"W-What did you do? What did you _do!_" Asura screamed as he clawed at his chest, trying to suppress the growing sensation. "_What did you do!" _

"I didn't do anything," Soul shrugged, taking a few steps closer to the levitating Kishin. "Did you seem to forget that isn't _your_ body?"

"I can sense it," Kid narrowed his eyes at Asura's chest. "It's there, the wavelength."

"Impressive. I shouldn't be surprised though," Stein smirked at the screaming Kishin as the madness evaporated from his body.

"Fuckin' hell, just say it already!"

"Maka's back."

Asura let out an ear-shattering howl as blue light burst through his chest, the light quickly sealing him in a large orb. The wind picked up as the sphere began to glow brighter, the meisters and ninja covering their eyes as it reached blinding levels. Ametrine let out a strangled growl as the madness within her squirmed under the purifying light. The area soon settled, the air becoming still and darkened once more. Soul lowered his arm, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the sudden change in light. The Kishin was now on the ground, standing motionless as he stared calmly at them. Everyone braced themselves for the battle to continue, unaware of what had just happened.

"I see. Well played, Maka Albarn, you are indeed a worthy opponent." Asura spoke calmly with closed eyes before his body exploded into hundreds of souls, the orbs floating gently towards the night sky.

As the souls thinned out, Maka stood with her eyes up, watching the souls depart from their imprisonment seeded deep in the madness. One lagged behind, wiggling anxiously beside her. Taking the small orb in her hands, the meister whispered something to it and gave it a small hug before raising it up, releasing it softly. Once they were all gone, the meister let out a breath before shifting gleaming eyes to her left. The first pair of eyes she locked with belonged to the person she wanted to see the most.

"I knew you'd come for me," Maka smiled brightly as she walked towards him, her white dress billowing behind her. Sandy tresses floated freely around her, giving the meister the aura of an angel as her soul glowed warmly.

"Well, it was either this or spend eternity floating in a miserable and pitiful self-wallowing floating party. Figured this was the better option." Soul grinned back as he opened his arms for her.

The meister closed the distance and slammed into him, locking her arms around his chest as she cried against him. Soul gripped her back just as tight, kissing her head and whispering in her ear as a few tears slipped down his face. Kid relaxed, running a hand through his hair as he laughed in disbelief. Black Star had frozen in place, Tsubaki already transforming back and crying with joy beside him. Stein shook his head, reaching for a cigarette from his coat pocket. Ox and Kilik shared a look before smiling and laughing at the insanity of it all.

Viktor kept himself planted in front of Ametrine, acting as a barrier between the students and the impaled witch. She had exhausted her magic supply and just hung there like a marionette, limp and nearly lifeless. A grunt alerted the ninja and he glanced back, noticing her maroon eyes were staring at him.

"Still alive? Asura has been slain, you are next."

"Ha…you people really think you can win against…a newborn Kishin?" Blood flowed down her chin, a small puddle forming on the floor beneath her.

"You cannot even stand, let alone fight." Viktor sent her a glare, keeping his focus on the happy reunion. "You have used and dishonored my family, not to mention you killed the woman I love. Your life will be ended soon enough, so stay silent."

Ametrine gave a bloody grin, her eyes turning wild as she let out a wheezing breath. "Your clan…is finished, _ninja_…Asura was merely buying time…"

"Buying time for what, you damned witch?"

The hair on the back of his neck stood up and the ninja tumbled out of the way as madness bubbled out from the center of Ametrine's chest. He sat on the ground, stunned, at the overwhelming madness emitting from her body. The meisters had even turned to look, eyes wide as they took a step back.

"_You damned DWMA brats…" _A gurgling voice wheezed from the cavern wall. _"You've ruined everything I've worked for…you'll pay for this!"_

A powerful wind kicked up from Ametrine's mangled body as her soul became corrupted with madness, dark magic pulsing out in waves. Soul shielded Maka from the barrage, covering her head with his arm. Kid and Black Star readied themselves; the lines of Sanzu glowed brightly as the Reaper released his soul wavelength while Black Star unleashed Shadow Star mode with Tsubaki transforming into the Infinity sword.

"Get Maka Albarn out of here! I will keep her busy." Viktor yelled as the corpse began morphing and stretching violently, black blood flooding the floor. With a smooth wrist flick, his katana was unleashed and positioned in front of his face, white eyes reflecting dangerously on the blade.

"We won't leave you in here, Viktor! You're coming with us!" Black Star called back, readying Tsubaki. "Brethren, remember? I won't let you die!"

"You don't have to fight alone anymore, Viktor," Maka yelled over the harsh winds, holding onto Soul tightly as she peered around him. "We'll help you take her down together!"

"You are in no condition to fight after being killed and sacrificed for this witch," Viktor yelled back, leaping a few steps backwards as the puddle of black blood expanded further outward. "You would surely be killed once more without the energy to fight. I can handle her for now. Leave."

"Viktor, you're an ally of the DWMA now, we won't just leave you here to die!" Kid barely winced as a rock grazed his temple.

"Soul!"

"Right."

Maka wielded her weapon once more, twirling the scythe around with ease as she stared down the horrendous black monstrosity. Her soul twitched slightly as she resonated, the uncomfortable feeling brief. Centered between Black Star and Kid, their souls beginning to resonate together instinctively. Maka clenched her jaw as her soul twitched harder this time, the pain radiating from her chest.

"_Something's wrong with your soul, Maka, stop the resonance." _Soul called to his meister. _"Your wavelength is all over the place."_

"No, I can handle it. She hasn't fully become a Kishin yet, it'll only take one hit to finish her off!" Maka growled as she widened her stance, bare feet digging into the rock while swinging the scythe over her shoulder. "Kid, Black Star, let's go!"

"Time to kill a witch!" Black Star crowed as he and Kid launched themselves forward.

Maka dashed after them, the scythe transforming into Witch Hunter with a powerful burst of light. Kid and Black Star were already launching everything they had at her, aiming for the center of the wriggling mass. The creature screamed as it lashed black spiked tentacles shot out in response, slicing at them with lightning speed. Knocking back the attacks was as easy as breathing for the meister as she whirled the scythe with grace and expertise, her movements fluid as if she were dancing. Stein let out an impressed whistle; it had been years since a chain resonance had been performed, yet they merged so seamlessly. Viktor stood back from the fight, hesitating before sheathing his blade; there was no need for him to intervene, the students had more than proved themselves capable of taking on a powerful witch. They moved with perfect synchrony, one stepping back as another charged forward, one attacking and making an opening. It reminded the ninja of his younger days and he couldn't help the edges of his lips twitching upwards; he wouldn't have to worry about the future generations anymore, not with them around as protection. As Black Star and Kid shifted back to support at long distance, Maka made her move.

"Ametrine, your soul is _mine_!" Maka screamed as she sliced downward at the writhing mass of madness.

Witch Hunter sliced cleanly through Ametrine, a scream emitting from the blob as the darkness began to separate from her body. It rose from her like steam, billowing high until it dissipated against the cavern ceiling. The witch sat on her knees, arms limp against her side as she stared with wide eyes at the trio of meisters looking down upon her with overwhelming courage. A laugh slipped through her lips as the witches' body began to break apart, tearing like paper as it was erased from existence.

_**"Those who meddle outside the laws of God shall face the wrath of the Reaper. There is no redemption for those who break the sacred law." **_Viktor recited as he watched the witch before him disappear, white eyes staring hard at what remained of her body. "You have broken the law, so shall you pay the price."

"Defeated by a young girl…what a pathetic way to die…" Ametrine mused as she sat there defeated. "But I suppose there are worse ways to go."

"Your reign of terror is over, Witch Ametrine, you'll never be able to hurt another soul again." Maka spoke confidently, swinging the scythe to rest it against the ground.

"Madness will always be around, Maka Albarn; it's nothing more than the overwhelming emotion of fear. It will only be a matter of time before another Kishin attempts to rise. But judging by the way your body is trembling; I'd say I get the last laugh. Your soul has been pushed to its limits already." The witch smiled maniacally as the meister gave her a hard look. "You may never be able to resonate again, poor child."

"What the fuck is she talking about? Why can't you just die already." Black Star spat as he shot a dirty look to the woman, her entire lower body gone.

Ametrine turned to look at him, black blood trickling from her lips. She said nothing, choosing to divert her eyes back to the scythe meister will a roll of her head. Her eyes were no longer swimming with madness as she stared at the meister with amusement.

"But then I wouldn't be able to watch as her soul starts to give out. Now where's the fun in missing that after all of my hard work?"

As soon as she released her breath, the Chain Resonance snapped violently and the meister hit the ground hard, the scythe clanging loudly against the rock floor. Kid and Black Star jerked back as they felt the connection break and whipped their heads to the side to see Maka lying on the ground, her hand clenched tightly over her chest as she struggled to breathe. Soul transformed back immediately, panicking as he hovered his hands over her, afraid to touch her.

"Maka? Maka, hey, look at me!"

"What a sweet sight to see. Enjoy being useless for the rest of your life, Maka Albarn, it's been fun." Ametrine cooed before dissolving completely, her twisted red lips the last to go.

"What the hell is going on," Kid whispered in disbelief as Maka let out an anguished scream, nearly clawing at her chest to reach the source of pain.

"Move aside," Stein ordered as he crouched next to the writhing meister, eyes narrowed at the center of her chest. "Her soul is becoming unstable from an immense amount of strain. We need to get her back to Kim as soon as possible until we can get back to the DWMA."

Viktor felt a rush of air blast by him and he shifted to see the soul of Zefirov being wrapped with madness, the once pure blue soul becoming tainted with the darkness. With everything else happening, they had neglected to secure the orb in time. Cursing in Russian, the ninja grasped his blades handle tightly, watching as the soul's glow turned blood red. Black tendrils began shooting at him, sharp and deadly as they searched for an opening. With a quick movement, his blade was repelling the attacks with ease. The meisters looked over in surprise, quickly readying their weapons once more.

"You need to go _now!_ She will surely die if you do not get her treatment! Leave this to me, I shall take care of this madness." Viktor snarled at them, slicing through the vine-like arms with ease. "I will seal the creature within this cavern so it may never escape. _Go_."

"Damnit, everyone pull back! Retreat back to the village for now!" Kid ordered as he dodged an attack from the creature, a small lock of hair fluttering past him.

"We can't just—!" Black Star started, but Viktor cut him off with a look.

"I am tired, Black Star, Maka, and Lord Death; This has been an honor to fight alongside all of you, but I wish to see Vika once more." The ninja looked to them with pleading eyes, his face softer. "Please, this is my last request of you. When my body is found, please bury me next to her so we may be together for eternity. You will carry on mine and Vika's will for the future generations to come. Now, _go_!"

Stepping forward, Black Star clenched his jaw, preparing to drag the man out by his hood when Stein rested a hand on his shoulder.

"He's decided. We need to get Maka out of here, Black Star. Honor his last wish and do what he says." They began moving towards the hole in the ceiling when the meister stopped and turned, giving a two-finger salute to Viktor's back.

"This isn't goodbye, Viktor! We'll meet again, _tovarishch._" _Comrade._

Viktor smirked and shook his head, pulling his mask back over his face as the creature began to take shape. Black Star reminded him of his younger days, and it brought a smile to the ninja's lips; they would ensure the future. He had no regrets left in life, his soul at peace as he readied his blade, ancient power surging from the base of the tsuka.

"_Ancient Hidden Shadow Clan technique; Vechnoye zapechatyvaniye dzyutsu.." Eternal Sealing Jutsu._

"_Zhivi i protsvetay, brat." Live on and prosper, brother._

* * *

**Definitely took some time to do, and redo, and redo again, but for now I'm happy with it. Expect a bit of a delay for the next chapter. **


	16. A Bittersweet Goodbye

**The last chapter was shorter than the few previous ones, and for a good reason; I felt continuing it on after that made it drag on and I didn't like it. Plus, I was tired. This might be the last chapter? Or not? No clue, so here's some more! Thanks for the reviews!**

* * *

The amounts of madness washing over the area seemed unreal as the group of seven ran through the forest and far away from the cave as possible. The trees were beginning to dissolve rapidly, and the snow became tar beneath their feet. A sinister wind had picked up, spreading the madness faster towards the village. It wasn't until Maka requested to be let down from Soul's back that they stopped. As soon as her knees hit the ground, the meister emptied to contents of her stomach, heaving violently into the gray snow. Black blood dripped from her mouth as she threw up, the black substance staining her pale lips.

"Holy shit, Maka..." Soul whispered in horror as he crouched beside her, holding her hair back while she heaved.

"I'm sorry," Maka wheezed as she tried to catch her breath, weakly wiping the blood from her mouth. "I used Chain Resonance on the souls Asura had absorbed. Hundreds, if not more were in there."

"Hundreds? You used Chain Resonance on _hundreds_ of souls? Maka, that could have easily overwhelmed your soul and killed you!" Kid balked as he stared down at the meister with wide eyes.

"No other choice…it was that or be absorbed by the madness..." With a violent shiver, the once white dress began reverting to her winter apparel and she collapsed into Soul, exhausted.

"Her soul was pushed too far by resonating with that many souls. I'm surprised it _hasn't_ killed her already." Stein studied her soul wavelength thoughtfully. It was flickering intermittently and quivering mildly. "Anymore strain on it could cause permanent damage to her body. She's going to need extensive care, but as long as she doesn't push herself she should be fine."

Kid and Black Star helped shift the meister to her weapons back once more before moving to the rear of the guard. The rest of the journey remained quiet apart from the waves of madness licking at their heels hungrily. Soul kept glancing at Maka; her face was contorted in pain and she was slightly sweating. He had just gotten her back and already felt helpless as she laid against his back weakened.

"I don't like this, Kid, it's not right." Black Star hissed to the Reaper, the two slowing down to talk in private. "We can't just leave him there to die. He still has his clan; he can go back to them and get on with his life."

"I don't feel it's that easy; you heard what he said – that he was tired and wanted to return to Vika. Think about it. His whole life has been upturned and torn apart in a matter of weeks, his trusted Elders have led him astray, and now an opening to save his village has been presented to him. His honor as a ninja was also on the line, something you take to heart as well." Kid pointed out, tapping against the ninja's chest.

"_Black Star, I know you want to help, but he wanted to defend his village and his honor the best way he knew how; to fall in battle while protecting others."_ Tsubaki spoke softly, her face appearing in the blade of the katana_. "I know it seems wrong to leave him, but we need to respect his final wish."_

"Yeah, I know, just fuckin' sucks."

* * *

Free was standing guard outside of the shambled house in his werewolf form, ears swiveling restlessly for any suspicious noises. As soon as he spotted them, he relaxed and called for the girls to come outside.

"Ox, did you find them? Is everyone alright?" Kim yelled as she emerged from the house, holding Jacqueline in her lantern form.

"Apart from Maka, yeah, we're all good." Ox smiled at her, prompting receiving a whack upside the head for mentioning the meister so casually.

"Is she…?"

"Maka's alive, Kim, don't worry. She needs to get out of this cold and someplace warmer." Soul shifted his meister, feeling the heat of her skin against his face. "She's burning up and needs to rest, she pushed her soul too hard."

"That temple should do, right? Got that big fire pit in the middle of it and roof hasn't collapsed yet." Black Star jerked his thumb back towards the massive red shrine.

"You're lucky it didn't with you going nuts on top of it, Black Star." Kid casually remarked as he eyed the demolished area.

"Yeah, yeah, don't remind me." The ninja flushed and turned away, rubbing the back of his head.

"Kid, you should get a hold of Azusa and update her on the situation. Go get Maka settled and we'll join you shortly." Stein remarked as he released Marie, the weapon reverting back to human form. "Free, make sure to stand guard outside of the shrine for them."

The werewolf scoffed but the eager look of a new dissection quickly swayed him, that and the very shiny scalpel Stein pulled from his pocket, and he nodded quickly before scurrying after the meisters and weapons.

"Stein, something about all this doesn't feel right to me." Marie spoke quietly as she gripped the sleeve of his coat, looking at him with unease. He kept his gaze forward, looking into the dense trees.

"Viktor seems to know what he's doing, Marie. He isn't a Master ninja without a good reason. Though I get the feeling we won't be seeing him alive after all this."

The clink of his lighter echoed loudly as he lit another cigarette. With a deep exhale, he offered it to Marie without looking. She took it with a trembling hand and took a deep breath, relaxing as the nicotine hit her system. Very rarely did she smoke, but when she did, it meant she was really shaken up. After a few more calming puffs, she lowered the stick and tilted her head back to gaze at the star riddled sky. The moon had shifted and was continuing its nightly cycle, it's light seemingly a bit brighter.

"These kids shouldn't be in another war, Stein, it's not right." Marie whispered. "They're so young…they have their whole lives ahead of them. Maka _died_ tonight. Why can't the world give them a break to just be children?"

"If we lived in a perfect world, then things wouldn't be the way they were now. All we can do is embrace it, flaws and all." Stein gently removed the nearly burnt up cigarette from Marie's hand before pulling her against him, holding her tight. "As the previous Lord Death wanted them to do, they'll have to pave their own path and fight their own battles while we stand back and support them. Besides, we have Hiroshi to take care of now; and of course, once he's older, I can begin the experimenting on him~"

"If you lay a hand on that child, Stein, I'm having Sid dig your grave and _I'll_ be the one to put you in there."

"Mothers are very scary when they're protective of their kids…"

"It's the same way with our students, isn't it? We mold their futures and then release them to pave their own ways and change the world for the better. They're no different than our own child."

"Fair enough. Now can you please loosen your grip around me, I'm going to lose circulation soon …"

"Oh, sorry!"

_**~*B*~**_

Soul hovered over Maka as Kim used her magic once more, concentrating on the center of her chest. While she couldn't completely heal the strained soul, she could at least handle the fever and relieve some of the pain. The large fire roared to life and again filled the room with the crackling of firewood, smothering the frigid Russian air with warmth. Black Star was not too far from the trio, leaning against a large pillar, eyes watching the meister for any improvement. Tsubaki was sitting within the pit with Jacqueline, Liz, and Patty as they inventoried what supplies they had left. Kid had used the mirror Ox and Kilik had brought with them and was off in a corner updating Azusa on the situation.

"I've done what I can for her, Soul, she just needs to rest from now on." Kim wiped the sweat from her brow, magic drained. "We need to see about getting her back to Death City so Nygus can take better care of her and monitor her properly."

"Thank you, Kim, for everything." Soul spoke barely above a whisper, his eyes never leaving Maka's face. "Neither of us would be here without you. I owe you big time."

Kim studied the weapon, a small smile twitching at her lips. That idiot was head over heels for Maka and it definitely showed. Rolling back on her heels, the Tanuki witch stood and walked over to him, crouching beside him. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, resting her head against his back. They didn't need to exchange any words and the weapon was thankful for that. He briefly glanced at her before giving a slight nod, the lump forming in his throat preventing him from speaking.

"She'll be alright as long as you're here, Soul. You two always seem to defy the impossible. Let me know if you need anything." Kim released her hold and patted him on the shoulder before moving to join Tsubaki and Jacqueline.

"How's she doing?"

Soul looked up to see Black Star had shifted over, dropping to the floor quietly. The two remained silent for a while, watching the meister breathe more easily as she slept.

"The fever dropped, and the pain should be managed for now." Soul could feel his best friend's eyes on him, and he let out a heavy sigh. "If I had known she pushed herself to the limit like that, I never would have agreed to fight. Her wavelength was all over the place when she linked everyone's souls together. I should've stopped her."

"I fucked up earlier." Black Star suddenly interjected, earning a quizzical look. "After Maka…after that incident, I went insane with grief and about destroyed the whole town in the process. Tsubaki tried to stop me and I…I attacked her. I wasn't in my right mind when I did it, but she was in pain and bleeding by the time I snapped out of it. The tile she was holding onto snapped and she started falling from the roof. It wasn't until I realized she wasn't trying to save herself that I came back out of it."

"Fuck, Black Star, you've never—"

"I know, I know. I swore to her that I would never hurt her. And I broke that promise…" The ninja glanced over at his weapon with forlorn. "Even if she says it's okay, it's not. I can't ever forgive myself for that, I won't forgive myself. Soul, I…I love her more than anything,"

"I know, but the fact that she's forgiving you means she feels the same way. You weren't in your right mind; I would've been the same way if I had stayed conscious after the resonance link snapped. I could have been absorbed by the madness and gone insane, but Maka, she found me in the darkness and pulled me out of it." Soul pressed his hand to the center of his chest, the dull throbbing in chest a constant reminder. "Everyone is still alive, Black Star, and that's what matters most right now. We may have lost the battle, but we're still standing to fight again."

"Shit, yer like Maka, all _'Here's a bunch of motivating words and shit.'_ Kinda creeps me out sometimes how alike you two are." Black Star snickered as his friend swatted at him, falling just short of reaching him.

"Hey, at least I won the bet on when you would tell Tsubaki you loved her." It was Soul's turn to snicker as the meister looked confused, tilting his head. "We all had a bet going on when you would say it. Ever since the battle on the moon, Liz started taking guesses. I said right before a big fight, so I win…I think it's around a couple hundred bucks now?" He counted on his fingers.

Black Star whipped his head around to look for Liz and give her an earful when a noise drew his attention back. Maka groaned as she lifted a hand to her head, wincing as she squinted her eyes open. It took her a minute to open her eyes fully, looking between the two with creased brows.

"You're both loud, you know that? Especially you, Black Star." Maka complained as she sat up with the help of Soul, using his arms for support.

"Welcome back, bookworm," The ninja smiled widely at her. "Don't ever fucking die on me again, you hear? I'll bring you back and kill you myself next time."

Maka gave him a weak smile before opening her arms to him.

"Idiot, get over here."

He didn't need told twice as he latched onto her, arms trembling as he hid his face in her shoulder. Soul scooted back a little as the others soon noticed what was happening and swarmed the meister, crying as they threw themselves at her. As much as he wanted to kick them all away and have her for himself, they all were traumatized by the recent events. Kid had finished his call and was making his way over to the group. Locking eyes with Soul, he motioned for him to talk. Taking one last glance at his meister buried beneath a pile of girls, the weapon followed his friend to a corner away from the group. Judging from the stiff posture he held, it wasn't light news.

"Soul, I've decided to pull the plug on this mission." Kid started, noticing the change in Soul's expression. He held up a hand. "At this point, it's reckless to stay and try to fight anymore without Maka's assistance. If she pushes herself any further, it could permanently damage her soul and she could never resonate again. Azusa said there are a few witches waiting and ready to teleport us all back to the DWMA once I give the word."

"So, we're just going to leave Viktor? Just like that? There's no way he could defeat a Kishin by himself. Hell, all we could do with Asura is seal him on the moon using BREW." Soul hissed back, not wanting to draw attention. "What's going to happen if it breaks free? It'll be the battle on the moon all over again!"

"I understand, and it's not something that was decided without weighing the risks, but we'll have to put our faith in Viktor and hope he is able to seal the madness properly."

"Seal it? How…?" Kid let out a strained sigh, running his hand through his hair.

"He spoke to me and Stein before we arrived at the cavern. The Hidden Shadow clan weren't just known for their stealth and skills, they were also known for creating a strong sealing jutsu among other things. They come from a long lineage of immensely powerful ninjas and throughout those decades, they have uncovered a strong variety of ancient techniques. Viktor mentioned the Elder he trusts, her name is Flyorova, would find us at some point within the next twenty-four hours. He may be our last hope right now, though, I was warned there is a downside to using the jutsu,"

"It's going to take his life, isn't it?" Soul grit his teeth angrily as he punched the pillar closest to him. It left a decent dent in the wood. Kid nodded gravely.

"I'm afraid there is a high possibility of it happening. I have asked both Azusa and Jinn to ensure the seal is fully complete and to guard the cave once they arrive. Sid will monitor the situation as well from the Death Room."

"We're running away like cowards,"

"As Lord Death, I have to ensure the safety of my students and citizens first. As your friend," Kid rested his hand on Soul's shoulder, amber eyes burning. "I have to ensure the safety of everyone here. I cannot in good conscious allow Maka to potentially lose her life again. I will meet with the witches once we return to see if there's a way to ensure the madness within the cave is sealed away forever."

"Viktor will be buried with a warrior's sendoff. I'll personally make sure of it." Black Star had snuck into the conversation, standing next to Soul with his arms crossed over his chest. "We're coming back within twelve hours to make sure. I trust Viktor completely, but I don't trust the situation one bit. For all we know, it could break free and there would be another Kishin running loose."

"I had no doubt you would want to return." Kid smiled briefly before it fell. "Now that Maka's awake, we should wait for Stein and Marie to come back before pulling back. I have everything in order for now, you should go shoo the girls from your meister before she suffocates beneath them."

"I've got a debt to collect while I'm at it. Let us know when you're ready to go," Soul tossed a hand up as he strolled away casually, trying to keep his posture from tensing up. It didn't go unnoticed.

"He wants to get revenge just as badly, but he can't without Maka. I feel helpless in these types of situations," Kid leaned against the damaged pillar, exhaustion weighing heavily on his body and mind.

"He'll get his chance, one way or another, but right now he needs to be there for her more than anything. I suggest you avoid telling Maka about this situation until after its done." Black Star watched as Liz begrudgingly dug around in her bag before handing a stack of bills to the Death Scythe, a look of defeat on her face. "I already couldn't handle it the first time she died, Kid, I can't do it again."

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, Black Star," Kid watched the commotion with a pained expression. "I can't imagine watching it happen. I would have probably done the same thing you did."

"Can we still trust the witches after this?" The ninja asked suddenly, greens eyes darting to Kid's surprised face. "How do we know there isn't another witch out there right now attempting the same damn thing?"

"I have complete faith in the witches, I have for years now; unfortunately, there will always be a few who divert from the path of what's right and become absorbed within the darkness in this world. That's why the DWMA still stands, to prevent future generations from living in a reality full of madness and disaster. Whatever they throw our way, we'll do whatever it takes to protect the world from it."

"Let's just hope we can keep the damned peace for a while after this."

* * *

Kid and Black Star had returned to Russia within twelve hours, as promised, with the aid of Mabaa-dono and the feline witch. Tsubaki had tagged along as well, more for the support of her meister than anything. Azusa and West Asia branch Death Scythe Jinn had scoped ahead of their arrival to verify the area around the cave was cleared. A barrier had been erected from the inside, sealing the madness within the cavern depths. With a quick flash of her eye, Kid, Black Star, Tsubaki and both witches were transported inside of the barrier, leaving the Death Scythes outside to guard. The cavern was dark aside from a bright glow emitting from a katana plunged deep into the earth, magic pulsing from the handle. The madness filled soul had been imbedded into the cavern wall, a sealing scripture chaining it in place. It showed no signs of life, the orb resting motionless in its prison. Just a few feet from it, slumped over the katana, was Viktor, his body nearly stiff as his hands were intertwined over the butt of the blade.

"Damnit…" Black Star spat as he crouched next to his comrade, hesitantly reaching to pull his body back. As he grasped his shoulder, a weak breath emitted from Viktor.

"I knew…you would come…back…" Viktor suddenly whispered, alarming the group. "I can…rest now…thank you, Black Star…I will be…with Vika…once more…"

The ninja turned his head and gave him a small smile before going limp. Black Star clenched his jaw as he held the corpse up, tears blurring his vision. Kid grabbed his other arm and the two lifted their fallen comrade from the ground, supporting his weight as the witches inspected the seal. Tsubaki knelt by the blade, quickly pulling something from her sling and gently placed two incense sticks into the dirt and lit them. With a bow of her head, and a quick prayer, the weapon bid farewell to her fellow ninja. The group waited patiently for her to finish, Black Star keeping his head down.

"Where did Ametrine's soul go? We didn't grab it after the battle." Tsubaki asked as she looked around the dark cavern.

"I think when Maka struck her with Witch Hunter, it may have fully destroyed the soul." Kid answered as he examined the chained soul warily. "I don't sense it anymore, so it must have been extinguished. Though rare, it can happen."

"Nyamuu."

"She says the soul is sealed with an extremely intricate jutsu, one that can't be broken so easily. Just in case, Mabaa has placed another seal on top of it as well. There will also be one placed on the outside of the cave." The feline witch explained, lighting up her pipe.

"Let's get him home." Black Star spoke quietly as they gathered around Mabaa.

With another flash, they were outside. Azusa and Jinn were on alert as movement was detected in the dense snow-clad woodlands surrounding them. Cloaked in white, ninjas began appearing one by one, led by an elderly woman in intricate white and gold robes. They moved silently, slowing to a stop a few feet from the group.

"I see, so he did perform the sealing technique." She said sadly, looking at the body with tears streaming down her pale cheeks. "I felt it and was hoping to be wrong. At least he can rest easy now, with Vika. I thank you both for honoring his last wish." Flyorova bowed deeply, the villagers behind her bowing in unison.

"I promised him, as his comrade, to do whatever it takes to get him home." Black Star told the Elder as she straightened. "Viktor was prepared to lose everything to save the village and the world from the spread of madness. It was an honor to know and fight alongside him."

Flyorova smiled tearfully at the blue haired ninja as she raised her hand to signal. Two ninjas slid from behind the trees and carefully took Viktor's body from the meisters, placing him on a stretcher that a third ninja had brought out. With care, they laid his body on the stretcher before covering it with a white cloth. The Elder watched as they slowly transported him back to the village, the villagers falling in line behind them, chanting and humming quietly.

"We will hold a releasing ceremony in a short while; it would be an honor to have you join us."

"Of course, thank you. Viktor had vowed his assistance to me just before the battle and for that I am forever grateful. I wish to honor his last moments on earth." Kid bowed to the Elder.

"We'll wait outside of the village until you're done, Lord Death," The feline witch said softly, completely out of character for the normally aggressive woman. "Call upon us when you are ready."

The two groups departed, leaving Kid, Black Star, and Tsubaki alone outside of the cave. It was beginning to snow lightly, as they remained silent, looking everywhere but at one another. Kid sighed at the tense atmosphere and glanced up to see Tsubaki giving him a pained look. They both needed a moment alone.

"I'm going to see if I can assist with anything. I'll meet you two in the village when you're ready." The Reaper gently rested his hand on Black Star's shoulder, giving it a squeeze before following behind the procession.

Tsubaki felt her meisters will crumble as his legs gave out and he landed in the snow, bracing himself as he hunched over. Crouching next to him, she laid her hand on his back and his cracking walls fell. A guttural cry slipped from Black Star's throat as he punched the ground in anger and grief. Over and over, he screamed his emotions out until his knuckles were raw and bleeding. His chest heaved as he sobbed, the snow now stained red. With feather light movements, Tsubaki wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her head against his back, tears sliding down his coat.

_***~B~***_

The ceremony was beautiful, yet heart wrenching, as the flames sparked to life and began to engulf Viktor's body. Flowers were placed carefully around his body while a rosary was clasped between his hands, the marking of his clan engraved in the rock pendant that hung from it. A bright pink lotus rested over his heart, the symbol of purity and rebirth. His normal ninja garb had been changed for a formal black kimono, his blonde locks cleansed and gently brushed out. A special necklace rested against his chest, ornate wooden beads with kanji written on each one with black ink. He looked peaceful, as the flames began to consume his body, and he began his journey to return to the Earth. The crackling of the wood was drowned out by the anguished cries of his mother who knelt just feet from the base of the fire, digging into the snow and screaming in Russian. Even Flyorova, normally calm and composed, broke down, falling to her knees as she stared at the fire with tears streaming down her face, mouthing silently as she sat there. Kid, who was standing behind and slightly to the left of the Elder, stood silently with his hands clasped behind his back as he kept his eyes trained on the fire.

Tsubaki and Black Star stood to the right of the Elder, standing further back than Kid. The ninja stared blankly at the fire while his partner was kneeling on the ground, hands clasped together while she prayed on a rosary given to her by a villager. She reached the end of the beads and carefully wrapped it around her right wrist before placing her hands in the snow and bowing deeply for a few seconds. As she rose, she spoke in her native tongue.

"_Anata no tamashī ga yasuraka ni nemureru yō ni. Anata no gisei wa wasure rarenaideshou. Eien ni yasunde kudasai. Sayonara, Viktor." May your soul rest in peace. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. May you rest eternally. Goodbye, Viktor._

"I know he will, Tsubaki, he's with Vika now." Black Star said quietly as he held out a hand for her. "His soul was at peace when he decided. All we can do now is carry on his will for the future generations."

The weapon took his hand and allowed herself to be pulled against his chest, crying against his chest as he held her tightly. His eyes never left the fire, watching as Viktor's body began to break down. It wasn't until someone laid a hand on his arm that he blinked and turned his gaze from the now roaring flames. Flyorova gave him a small smile and motioned for him to follow, Kid waiting patiently just a few steps behind her. Nodding, the meister leaned down and whispered to Tsubaki that they were moving, and the three followed the Elder back towards the center of the village. Villagers were entering the shrine murmuring silently among themselves as they moved. Most were holding either rosary beads or small rings of flowers in their palms.

The fire pit was filled with the villagers, with the family of the deceased in the center, who offered their condolences and small offerings to them. Flyorova guided them to the side of the pit and into a small room just off the main hall. As they entered, she motioned for them to take a seat on the three cushions resting against the tatami mats. She shut the door behind them and took her spot on the lone cushion opposite of them, hands folded in her lap.

"I wanted to personally thank you all for your assistance during this war, considering we had a major part in causing it." The Elder bowed deeply, resting her forehead against the backs of her hands. "I also want to express my personal apologizes on behalf of my village for the destruction and pain we have caused you and your students, Lord Death. I cannot atone for what has happened."

"All is forgiven, Elder; the Witches were deceived as well and suffered mass casualties from Ametrine's destruction, as did your village. You were following your prophecies and could not have known her true intentions." Kid replied formally, bowing back in respect. "All we can do now is move forward in hopes of preventing another event such as this."

"You are very kind, Lord Death, as was your father." Flyorova straightened back up and smiled at the Reaper. "We were contacted by him years ago regarding the location of Asura when he had escaped Death City. Due to our history of dealing with the madness, of course we were a prime suspect as a hiding location. Once the village was secured and searched, we were left in peace. Your father was an exceedingly kind soul, and I can see him in you clearly."

"He raised me to be kind, and for that I am thankful. I know he would be proud." Kid smiled back.

Flyorova turned her attention to Black Star and Tsubaki, once more bowing deeply to them. They both returned the gesture.

"I can see the fire Viktor had in your eyes, Black Star. Your strength and determination to protect your friends is admirable. Viktor told me you were a worthy opponent, nearly surpassing his skill level. He had nothing but high praise for you. A very noble choice, choosing the path of the warrior; it suits you perfectly. And you, Tsubaki, no?" The Elder locked eyes with the weapon, giving her a warm smile.

"_Anata ga vu~ika to onaji ishi o kyōyū shite shitagai, kaiko sa reta koto o kōei ni omoimasu. Watashitachi wa samazamana shizoku no shusshindearu kanōsei ga arimasuga, watashitachi no rūtsu wa isshō musubitsuite imasu._ _Nēsan, kono sensō no ma no yūki o arigatō._ _Anata wa namihazureta ninjadeari, watashi o anata o watashinokazoku to yobu koto o hokori ni omoimasu."_ _I am honored to know you share and follow the same will and fire as Vika. We may be from different clans, but our roots are bound together for life. Thank you very much, sister, for your bravery during this war. You are an extraordinary ninja and I am proud to call you my family._

"_Chōrō…" Elder…_

Tsubaki teared up and Flyorova moved to embrace the young girl, whispering soothingly in her ear in Japanese as she cried. After a few minutes, the two broke apart, sharing a loving smile before the Elder returned to her seat. Black Star reached out and took his partners hand, squeezing it gently as he focused on the elderly woman before them.

"There is one last thing I wish to discuss with you, Lord Death. The Hidden Shadow Ninja clan will offer our full loyalty to both you and the Witches. Though we have partnered with the Mother, we will now offer them our full services, not just security. I wish for a truce to happen between the three of us to bring peace for the future."

"That sounds like an excellent idea, Elder, and I shall try to set up a meeting so that we can discuss the matters and form a truce." Kid nodded in agreement, his amber eyes boring into white. "I wish for the future generations to know there will be more allies standing behind them."

A ninja quietly slid the door open and muttered something in Russian to Flyorova. She nodded her head and responded, motioning for him to enter. Silently, he moved to her side, bowing at the three seated opposite, before handing the Elder a small handful of envelopes. With a nod, she accepted them, and the ninja exited.

"Here…Viktor handed me these envelopes at our last meeting. He wished for it to be delivered to you, Lord Death, and your companions, if anything were to happen to him. I ask that you open them once you return to your city, in private, per his wishes. Feel free to stay if you would like, for the celebration of life."

"I appreciate the offer, Elder Flyorova, but we must return to Death City. We are still suffering from the effects of Ametrine's destructive force and I would hate to be away for an extended period of time. I'm sure Maka would like an update as well." Kid gratefully accepted the envelopes, handing Black Star and Tsubaki theirs.

"Ah, that reminds me." The Elder reached within her robes and pulled out a small white box, _Maka Albarn_ written neatly on a small red tag. "Would you please give this to her? A gift of sorts, from Viktor's family."

"Thank you, I will ensure she receives it as soon as we return." Kid bowed as he accepted the gift, carefully slipping it into his coat.

They filed back into the main hall and were greeted with chanting and singing, some of the villagers dancing around the fire with swift and light movements as they tossed the small flower rings into the flames. Flyorova led them to the massive doors of the shrine, motioning to the guards who swiftly pulled them open. A voice called out to them and they all stopped. Flyorova quickly let them know it was Viktor's mother, Serova Leonidovich, as the woman approached, eyes red and puffy. Without a second thought, she pulled all three of them into a tight hug, crying as she spoke Russian to them. Tsubaki wrapped her arms around the woman while Kid and Black Star shared a glance before resting a hand on her back.

"Thank you, thank you for bringing my child home safely." Serova blubbered in broken English, "I cannot repay you for your kindness."

"It was our honor to bring him home. He fought valiantly," Tsubaki spoke softly in her ear. "I am sorry for your loss, Serova, I have no words to comfort you."

The woman released her grip on the boys and kissed Tsubaki on the cheeks and forehead. She released the weapon and grabbed Black Star next, holding him tightly as she whispered to him, kissing him as well. Kid was next and she did the same as the others, holding him tightly and thanking him. With a final kiss on his forehead, Serova released her grip and said something to Flyorova, the Elder nodding.

"She wishes to relay that she is grateful for your assistance and that she considers you all a part of her family, as her children. You are always welcome here, Lord Death, Black Star, and Tsubaki."

The group said their goodbyes and exited the shrine, back into the frigid winter air. Azusa and Jinn were standing by, the latter looking around curiously at the village. With a quick glance, the two fell in step behind Kid as they headed towards the edge of town, back to the awaiting witches. Tsubaki was still sniffling as they walked, wiping the tears away with the backs of her hands. Black Star snaked his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, shooting her a bright smile.

"No need to cry over me, I know how amazing I am! It warms my heart to see women crying tears of joy at my greatness!"

Tsubaki let out a choked laugh, smacking him on the chest with her free hand. The two bantered back and forth quietly, lightening the mood slightly. Kid shook his head as Azusa matched his pace, glancing over at the Reaper.

"Lord Death, shall we announce this incident to the rest of Death City?"

"For now, we should keep everything to those of us who witnessed it. I will make an official announcement regarding the incident once the truce has been formed. I don't want people panicking and thinking there will be more witch attacks."

"Very well, I will meet with the other Death Scythes once we return and inform them of the situation. How are you holding up, Kid?" Azusa asked quietly, taking in the new stress line forming on his forehead.

"I think…I'm okay, for the time being. I'm trying to process everything right now as Lord Death and my own personal feelings have been shoved aside. My mind can't wrap the thought that Maka _died_ last night. I know Black Star is having a hard time coping with actually witnessing it." Kid answered honestly, shoving his hands beneath his cloak into his pockets. "It wouldn't be a bad idea to set up some therapy for everyone once we return. We lost a comrade and it's hitting all of us pretty hard. These villagers…they've been through so much the past few weeks and now their homes has been destroyed by madness and a deranged witch who deceived their trust. Families have been torn apart in the blink of an eye. I can't even begin to imagine their pain."

"Unfortunately, there will always be casualties in war, Kid, it's undeniable. Though it seems unfair, the chance to sacrifice one or two for the greater good will always be more appealing. It may not seem right, it may not seem fair, but war never changes, no matter how far humanity has come. Your father tried to create a better world for the future generations, a world without fear and the threat of witches. Look how far we've come, Kid, look at the world as it is; there's no more tension between the witches, the Kishin Asura has been sealed on the moon, Ametrine was _stopped_ from unleashing madness upon the world. People are living without _fear_, they're not worrying about something happening every waking moment. Yes, we've had casualties, on all sides, but it was due to their sacrifices that the world can keep being safe." Azusa briefly rested her hand on his shoulder, giving him a rare smile.

The woods began to thin out and Mabaa stood in the clearing, using her magic to build a small army of snow-witches. The witch looked up at them and chirped to her assistant, shifting to move outward towards the wider part of the woods.

"If your business is done, Mabaa-dono needs to return to the Witches Realm and begin repairs." The feline witch spoke halfheartedly, her pipe nowhere to be seen.

"Everything is done, thank you for waiting." Kid responded as they stood in a circle around the Mother. "If you ever need assistance with rebuilding, I will gladly offer my services."

"Nyamuu."

With a flash, they were gone.

* * *

**Ahhhh, I love this story so much! I'm going to be sad when it's over. Just a few more chapters to go! **


	17. Witch of the Eternal Time

**Warning: This chapter may get a little emotional. I know I cried.**

* * *

Things were slowly returning to normal in Death City, just over a month after the battle with Ametrine. The city had been completely repaired, thanks to the hard-working citizens and DWMA students and staff, and life was calm once more. Lord Death had even gone to the Witches' Realm to aid them in their recovery, as well as speaking to them about the truce with the Hidden Shadow clan. It had just reached the peak of summer and the desert heatwaves were becoming torturous. Along with the sweltering heat had brought along the annual Summer Festival, where food stands, game booths, photobooths, and fireworks celebrated the life of the previous Lord Death. While Kid wasn't as fun going as his father was, he made sure that everyone in the city could relax and enjoy themselves for at least one night. Everything seemed to be back to normal, though for a certain meister, things were far from that.

Maka had spent an entire week in the infirmary upon their arrival, much to her protest, as Nygus and Stein ran every test under the sun, including drawing blood a few times a week. Soul had joined her for every appointment, sitting quietly in the chair resting adjacent to her bed. Very rarely he spoke up, asking about something before going quiet again. When asked if anything were wrong, he would shake his head, give her a lopsided toothy grin and make an excuse to leave the room. Maka felt the flood of emotions he was trying to hold back, putting on a façade she knew all too well. When Nygus and Stein had released her back to their apartment, Soul instantly busied himself once she was settled, trying to keep himself from falling apart.

"_Soul, talk to me." Maka gently wrapped her arms around him from behind, feeling him still under her sudden touch. "Please."_

_They had always resonated consistently, so she felt when the walls around his soul began to crumble. Faster than she could process, Soul had turned around and engulfed her petite frame in his arms. He was shaking, trying to resist giving in to a complete meltdown. Gently, she ran her hand through his hair, saying nothing as she let him take his time. They sank to the floor as his legs gave out, becoming a crumpled heap on the tile floor. _

"_I…I…you died…Maka, you __**died**__…I watched you…" Soul wheezed out. "I can't…the image, I can't get it out of my head…"_

"_It's okay, Soul, I'm here, I'm alive." Maka pulled back to cup his face, gently wiping away the tears streaming down her partners face. It pained her to see him so broken, the grief nearly overwhelming her own soul. "I'm so sorry you had to see that. I never expected things to turn out that way." _

_Tears blurred her vision as she found herself sobbing as well, everything from the last few weeks finally taking its emotional toll. Soul placed a hand against the back of her head, drawing her seemingly smaller frame against his. Together they poured their emotions out, on the tiled kitchen floor, in a tightly wrapped tangle of limbs. The apartment door opened at some point as Blair came home, the feline stopping at the sight of the two teens asleep against the kitchen cabinets, bodies latched together. Deciding it would be better to leave them, she quickly grabbed a blanket and covered them, neither of them stirring from the movement. Scribbling a quick note, Blair gently left it on the kitchen table before heading back out for the evening. They needed the time alone to heal._

_Maka woke first, the sound of the door unlocking dragging her from slumber. When she went to move, she found strong arms locking her in place. Soul was still sound asleep, his head tilted back against the cabinet, snoring lightly. Though he would vehemently deny it, her weapon looked pretty cute when he slept. _

"_Oh, sorry Maka-chan, I didn't mean to wake you up." Blair apologized quietly, setting a convenience store bag down on the table. "I brought you two some breakfast, if you're hungry."_

"_Thank you, Blair, you didn't have to do that." Maka felt Soul stir and hold her tighter, burying his face into her neck. The meister heated up while Blair hid her Cheshire grin behind a hand._

"_Seems I'm interrupting something, I'll leave you two alone. I'll be at work all day today, so I'll see you tonight!" Blair bounded for her room to change, giggling to herself along the way. _

"_S-Soul, it's morning, you need to get up." Maka poked at her partner, trying to get him to release his grip. "I need to use the bathroom and Blair brought food."_

"_Whazzat? Food?" Soul finally stirred, the heat of his breath against her skin sending electricity down her spine. "Wha—why the hell are we on the floor?"_

"_Of course, the mentioning of food wakes you up. I need to go to the bathroom, so can you release me?" Maka tugged at his arms. With a few slow blinks, he pulled his arms back, dragging his fingers lightly across her bare waist in the process; somehow her shirt had shifted up during the night. Feeling the heat returning to her face, she threw the blanket off, rolled off of his lap and quickly headed towards the bathroom, a hand resting over her pounding heart. _

_Feeling her erratic emotions, Soul felt his face heat up as well, just now realizing the compromising position they had been in all night. Maka had ended up practically straddling his lap during their embrace but neither had noticed until now. Not that he was complaining about holding her like that…_

_Pushing himself from the floor with a grunt, Soul decided to distract himself with food, opening the bag and grabbing out an onigiri. It wasn't his favorite thing, but it would do until he could make some proper breakfast. A door closed and he looked up to see Blair getting ready to leave in her work clothes. _

"_How are you feeling, Soul?" She asked as she set her stuff down on the table. "I didn't want to disturb you two last night."_

"_Alright, neck is killing me from sleeping on the floor though." Soul felt a satisfying pop as he stretched his neck as he flushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I think…after everything that's happened—"_

"_I understand. Bu-tan can tell," The feline winked at him with a knowing smile. "I was scared, for both of you, when I heard what happened. Spirit cries about it every night at the club, but I know he was really worried about both you and Maka."_

_Without another word, Blair walked around the table and pulled Soul into a hug. Maka walked back into the kitchen just then, raising an eyebrow at the oddly non-sexualized scene and earning a just as confused look from the scythe. Noticing her, the feline grabbed Maka and held them both tightly, nuzzling their heads._

"_Bu-tan was so worried about you both! I can't imagine life without you both." She sniffled, squishing them both against her chest. "Promise me, that you'll both be more careful next time."_

"_I promise, we won't be so reckless next time." Maka vowed as she was released, grateful to be able to breathe once more. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Blair, we should have let you know sooner."_

"_I forgive you both," Blair smiled as she caressed their faces lovingly. "Bu-tan has to go to work now, though, so play nice today!" With a wink, she grabbed her bag and pranced out of the door, blowing them a kiss. _

"_She saw us in that position a while ago, didn't she."_

"_Yes, Soul, yes she did." _

"_She's got blackmail now, doesn't she."_

"_Definitely."_

"_Damnit."_

* * *

"You seem to be doing better today, Maka, an improvement since last week." Nygus commented as she studied her chart. "Still, I don't want you to strain yourself more than necessary until we're completely sure your soul is strong again."

"I'm going to go stir-crazy if I don't do _something_ physical, Nygus," Maka grumbled as she rubbed at the already bruising needle mark in the crook of her arm. "Can I at _least_ punch Black Star if he's being stupid? Besides, Soul and I can resonate naturally without issue, so I should be able to –"

"Pushing yourself to see if you can resonate stronger again will only delay the healing factor and could further damage." Stein added as he spun around in his chair, cranking his screw. "Even now I can tell your soul is still wavering out of sync. At most, it'll only be a few more weeks or so until your wavelength is more stable. No excessive physical exertion, no battle practice, no attempting to resonate with anyone else, and punching Black Star is fine as long as it's justifiable, which most of the time it is. Just enjoy the peace, you've all earned a vacation."

"Stein…" Nygus warned, sharp eyes turning to him as she planted her hands on her hips. Stein just shrugged, knowing she wouldn't act on the underlying threat in front of a student.

"He needs it every now and then, it's fine, very _therapeutic _for the soul. You're free to go, Maka, just make sure to follow the discharge instructions." Stein handed her a note with her restrictions.

Maka sighed but nodded. Considering everything that had happened, a peaceful 'vacation' was deceitful. The pre-Kishin nightmares had vanished for good, thankfully, but a new scene took its place. The last time she saw Viktor alive, preparing to sacrifice himself for the sake of keeping them safe; all she could see was the soft look on his face as he turned to them, white eyes portraying his final wish. There were a few times she woke up in a cold sweat, the madness having overpowered the ninja and striking her through the chest. The alternate realities seemed to be fading as the weeks went on, becoming nothing but a distant memory. But no matter what, she could always feel the intensity of his eyes looking into hers, final unspoken words passing between them.

With her final instructions from Stein and Nygus, Maka bid them farewell before slowly walking down the empty hallway. Although everything seemed fine on the surface, those who were engaged in the war didn't return the same; Kid seemed to have emotionally distanced himself, throwing himself into his Reaper duties. Black Star was oddly quieter, something that unnerved the meister greatly, and Tsubaki always seemed to be deep in thought, often gazing at nothing in particular. Soul was glued to her hip, more than ever, and although it was comforting, there were times she wanted to kick him away so she could breathe. Spirit was worse; as soon as he realized she was _actually alive_, he latched onto her for hours, threatening anyone who came near them with a bladed arm. He had bawled as he held her, blubbering about being a bad parent and wishing he had gone with them, he should have been there to protect her, etc. Stein finally yanked him off when Maka sent him a pleading look, dragging the wailing death scythe out of sight with promises of new scars. Kim had gone to aid the witches and Jacqueline seemed to wander aimlessly while she was gone, her eyes blank. Kilik and Ox didn't appear to have been too affected, but there were times when their eyes met, and they shared an emotionless nod.

As she stepped outside, shielding her eyes from the blinding sun, Maka took in the view. The school grounds were repaired seamlessly, no signs of a battle having ever taken place. There were a few students milling around, though most were enjoying the extended summer break from classes. Kid decided to keep the school closed for the remainder of the semester, allowing time for repairs, and giving both students and teachers a break. The meister let a frown adorn her face. Kid hadn't made an announcement yet regarding the incident or the fact there was a new truce with the ninja clan. She couldn't blame him though; after everything that happened, she wouldn't want to bring up what happened so soon either.

As her foot hit the bottom step, a familiar rumbling caught her attention and she turned her head. The brakes squeaked as they engaged, the glossy orange bike rolling to a stop. Soul shifted the bike into neutral and the beast quieted to a purr. He said he had something to do during her appointment, so he would pick her up when she was done. It seemed odd, but the meister merely shrugged it off, though she missed the comforting presence in the infirmary.

"How'd it go?" Soul asked as she slid on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Right on time like always.

"Looking better, but still not strong enough to really do anything physical. Stein gave me permission to punch Black Star though." Maka grumbled against his back, lips turning to a smile at the thought. "I'm so freaking _bored_ of being lazy! I don't know how you do it all the time."

"Oi, do you know how hard it is to act lazy? Takes a lot of energy to keep it up all day." Soul shot back as he kicked the bike into gear, secretly enjoying how she slid her hands beneath his jacket.

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard that excuse before."

The two cruised down the streets, ducking through alleys and back roads when the main street became too crowded. The festival was beginning to come together and by tomorrow, it would be filled with food, fun, and excitement. The wind felt good against her face as they moved, a now rare feeling of ease washing over the meister. Therapy had been set up for the group, and although it was difficult in the beginning, it seemed to be slowly helping. The letter and box given to her by Kid though, were still sitting on her desk, untouched. Part of her wanted to pretend it wasn't there; if she ignored it, then none of the horrific events ever happened and it was all just a nightmare. But every time she looked at the small white box with its red tag, an image of his eyes flashed in her mind. Maybe tonight she would look at it…

Maka jerked from her thoughts as the bike stopped, rumbling softly as it sat idle before turning off. Looking around, she noticed it wasn't their apartment, but rather the small woods that resided towards the edge of the city. It was where they had trained to use Chain Resonance all those years ago, before the battle with Arachne. The image of the imprisoned souls glowing in resonance flashed through her mind, her soul twinging at the thought.

"Soul?"

"C'mon, just follow me." He gave her a toothy grin, holding his hand out for her.

With a wary look, she took it and he guided her deeper into the woods, the trees swaying gently with the wind. Her perception picked up on the other souls and she shot a quizzical glance to her weapon. Feeling the stare, he just smiled and stepped into the opening. Black Star, Tsubaki, Liz and Patty, and Kid were all gathered, smiling and chatting with each other. Black Star noticed first and leapt from the stone wall, landing weightlessly in front of the meister with a huge grin, hands on his hips.

"About time! I was about to fight Kid out of boredom."

"Haven't we done enough fighting for one year?" Kid shook his head and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Besides, that's not why we're here."

"Why _are_ you guys all here?" Maka asked warily.

"Well, since we got back, we haven't really had time together so we thought a gathering would be in order." Tsubaki smiled as she held up a large picnic basket. "Of course, there's plenty of food as well!"

"Soul even made those cupcakes you like, Maka," Liz winked at the meister, "It was a tough situation to go through, so why not heal it with food and friends?"

"And some booze!" Patty chirped as she pulled out two large bottles of wine from a separate bag, more hiding within its depths.

"Technically, the drinking age is twenty-one," Kid started, eyeing the wine with distrust. Everyone's shoulders sagged as they groaned. "But…I can overlook it this time. Just no getting wasted."

"Challenge accepted!" The ninja crowed as he snatched a bottle and made to chug it until Tsubaki grabbed it back, scolding him.

"Damn, this is top shelf stuff." Soul let out a low whistle as he examined the black and red label, intricate gold writing glittering in the light. "Reserves, even. Not bad."

"You'd be surprised what we have laying around the house," Liz grinned before motioning the weapon closer with a flap of her hand. "Took it from the hidden cellar beneath the kitchen. No one's been down there in _years_."

"Well, let's put it to good use then." The Death Scythe grinned as he transformed his arm and sliced the cork off, the bottle opening with a satisfying _pop_ and aromatic plume.

The girls were setting up the blankets and food while the guys messed around, tossing around a football that Black Star had brought along. Patty managed to dive bomb on top of Kid and Soul, wrestling the ball from their grips before prancing away, holding it like a trophy. Maka leaned against the wall, arms around her waist, watching her friends relax for the first time in over a month. Now that she thought about it, when was the last time they'd been together like this? It felt as if nothing had happened a mere few weeks ago.

"Ya know, I'm always here to talk." She looked over to see Black Star leaning against the wall beside her. "I know we all went through hell and back, but you…what you went through was _beyond_ that."

"I'm sorry, for what I put all of you through," Maka responded quietly, her eyes staring off into the woods. "I should have warned you all beforehand, but…"

"'_How you do you tell your friends you're about to be sacrificed for a fucking psychotic witch in order to unleash madness upon the world?'_"

"Something like that." She gave a dry laugh. "You know, I think I talked with Asura, when I was floating in the darkness."

"Yeah? What'd that asshole have to say?"

"Told me something about how my soul's wavelength had the strength to prevent me from completely succumbing to the madness. But I couldn't even fight it off when I was dragged further into it." Maka glanced down at her legs, the feeling of madness ghosting up her legs. "I wasn't strong enough to fight it off alone."

"I don't think he meant alone," Black Star added after a minute, resting his arms behind him on the weathered stone. "I think he meant that your soul is strong enough to do something others aren't capable of. Like your Chain Resonance with hundreds of souls; no one else could survive something as powerful as that besides you."

Maka placed a hand against her chest, feeling her heart beating strong against her palm. Her wavelength was flickering intermittently, still damaged from the excessive strain. It would be a long, slow road to full recovery.

"I can't ever do something like that again, Star, it nearly took my life."

"Can't is for quitters, and _you_, Albarn, are no quitter." She looked up at him. "You may be down and out for now, but you'll bunce back to your normal self once more. Give it time."

"I'd say you've changed a bit, grown a little more?" Maka teased as she tapped her knuckles against his chest.

"Viktor opened my eyes a bit more to the world, I think. He was an honorable man who valued his friends and family over glory in battle. Even when he was obeying orders, he felt what he was doing went against his ways; he knew something was wrong and shifted his priorities to save us all in the end. He sacrificed himself so that the rest of us can carry on his will. I've got a long way to go before I surpass him." Maka went to speak when a voice interrupted, ending the heart to heart.

"Foods ready! Let's eat!" Tsubaki called out, waving her arm to the two.

"We can mope later, it's food time!" Black Star pulled her against his side, hugging her tightly before dragging her to the blanket.

They ate, drank, laughed, and let their worries roll from their shoulders. Black Star, of course, challenged Patty to a drinking contest with the bottles of wine and was completely shitfaced while the weapon still seemed surprisingly sober. Liz pulled out a six pack of beer, tossing one to Kid, Maka, Soul, and Tsubaki before cracking open hers.

"Now that I think about it, can Reapers get drunk?" Soul asked after raising a brow at the aftertaste. It wasn't the best alcohol he'd had, but it would do for now.

"My body can metabolize alcohol much faster than normal people, so essentially I can't even get buzzed." Kid grimaced at the beer with little interest before setting it down. "Though, in theory, if I continuously drank massive quantities twenty-four-seven…"

"I'm not sure there's enough alcohol in the world to be able to do that, Kid," Tsubaki chuckled as she sipped on hers. Her face remained impassive, neither confirming nor denying her approval for the alcohol.

"Probably not a good idea when you're the one running the city," Maka pointed out as she took a tentative sip, instantly cringing and sticking her tongue out in disgust. Soul snickered at her.

"Gotta step up that game, Albarn, or yer never gonna beat me!"

Black Star yelled from his spot on the ground, waving his arm around drunkenly, surrounded by at least four empty bottles. Patty stood next to him, emptying the bottle of wine in her hand before stomping a boot onto his chest, raising the glass in victory with a battle cry. Shaking her head, Maka set the beer down and opted to listen to everyone else's conversations. It felt relaxing to just sit and enjoy herself for once, even with a nasty aftertaste in her mouth.

"You okay?" Soul asked in her ear, his hand resting on the small of her back. A tingle went up her spine at his touch.

"It's nothing, just trying to remember the last time we were all together like this." The meister whispered back, leaning into her weapon. For being tall and lanky, he was pretty comfortable.

"Been a few months, I think."

"Mm. Hey, Soul, did you ever open that letter?"

"Yeah, a few weeks ago. I know you haven't opened yours yet."

"I've been…hesitant, to open it. Every time I look at the envelope…" Maka felt the image of his eyes flash in her mind once more.

"I think you'll be more at ease once you just do it." Soul rested his head against her shoulder, feeling the hesitation in her soul. "We'll open it together, once we get home, if it makes it easier." Warm lips planted themselves briefly against her cheek.

Maka sighed as she slightly turned away, trying to hide the pink tint creeping up her neck. Those damned irresistible lips of his… "Yeah, I guess I can't put it off any longer. We'll open it when we get home."

The group partied for a few more hours until the sun began drop lower, and they all went their separate ways to head home. Poor Tsubaki had to drag Black Star out of there while he slurred on and on about surpassing everyone, including God, in drinking. Patty just mocked him as she, somehow soberly, pranced her way home with Kid and Liz, carrying the wine bottles as trophies. Maka pressed her face into Soul's leather jacket as he revved the engine before taking off, a tingling sensation in the back of her mind. _Something felt off about the sudden peace. Was there something she was forgetting?_

The jerk of the bike brought her back and she noticed they were outside of the apartment, the living room light shining through the curtains. Blair must be home from work. With a swing of her leg, the meister moved from the bike and made for the complex door when she stopped, an uneasy feeling settling in her chest.

"Hey, what's going on with you? It's not like you to be so out of it." Soul asked quietly as he turned her around and pulled her close, cupping her face. "What's got you so uneasy?"

Maka sighed as she placed her hands over his, chewing on the corner of her lip. It felt odd, the sensations and images that repeated in her mind every time she looked at the box and letter. Nothing felt right about the whole situation; when she sliced through Ametrine, it was like there was nothing there, like her body was an empty shell. Keeping her gaze averted, she answered uncertainly.

"I don't know. I feel like there's going to be information in there that will break the peace we have. We just ended a war before it could start, I don't think any of us could handle another one so soon. There's one other thing; I feel like I'm forgetting something important, but I can't think of what it could be."

"Maybe Viktor wrote the clue in his letter?" Soul asked suddenly, watching her eyes snap up to meet his. "You never know until you open it."

"I was waiting for the right time to open it, when I was ready." She whispered. "Those dreams…it seemed like he was trying to tell me something. Through his eyes, he was trying to relay a message, but I don't know what it is. Argh, this is driving me insane!"

Soul pressed his hands against her face, making her look like a fish. Maka's eyebrow ticked as she tried to swat at him, failing against his longer arms. The weapon snickered as he dodged her kicks, easily out of her range. Spotting an opening, he swooped down and kissed her briefly, pulling back to see that adorable tinting of her cheeks. Death above, what this woman did to him…

"If you're that worried about it, then let's go read the letter. I'll even be nice and make you a cup of tea."

"What a generous partner you are," Maka rolled her eyes with a smile, smacking his hands away.

"I'm still waiting for my crown, ya know."

"Not happening," Maka laughed as she opened the door to the apartment.

Blair wasn't in the apartment, but she had left the light on for them before she returned to work for her second shift. Bypassing the kitchen, the meister headed straight for her room to where the box and letter rested on her desk. Viktor's eyes flashed again in her mind, the image stronger than before as she reached for the items.

Soul padded down the hallway barefoot, having exited his room after changing into shorts and an old tee, his leather jacket and jeans too hot for the summer heat. Maka's door was wide open and he stopped in the doorway at what he saw. She was standing there frozen, her hand resting on the envelope as if she were about to grab it. Emerald eyes were wide, staring at nothing while her pupils were darting side to side, similar to reading lines from a book.

"Maka?"

Soul was at her side in an instant, grabbing her shoulders to twist her towards him when strong electricity zapped at him, forcing him back. He tried again, grasping for her forearm with the same result. What the hell was happening to her? The scythe briefly contemplated calling Kid and the others over when the spell seemed to wear off. Maka's pupils ceased their shifting before her eyes rolled into the back of her skull, gravity pushing the meister towards the ground.

"Maka! Hey, wake up. Maka, open your eyes and look at me!" Soul begged as he lunged forward, catching the unmoving body of his partner. "What's wrong? Hey!"

* * *

_Just as her fingertip entered the proximity of the envelope, sharp electricity shot up into her arm, travelling through her shoulder, neck, and finally into her head. The familiar scenery of her room suddenly crackled and morphed into one of darkness, twisted and malicious. Dark energy crackled and zapped at her skin, causing the meister to clench her arms against her chest, wincing as she was shocked. Everywhere she looked, it was an endless horizon filled with overflowing madness, twitching as if restless. Maka suddenly froze as her soul perception kicked in, whirling around to come face to face with a familiar soul. The blue orb wiggled in the air, peacefully, calmly, as she stared at it. It was the only light thing in the room, but as she looked closer, it seemed the edges of the soul were slowly turning darker. _

"_V-Viktor?" Hesitantly she reached out for the floating soul, pausing before touching it. _

_Maka's scream caught in her throat as she was sucked into the soul at dizzying speeds. The force of the pull was too strong for her to open her eyes, the wind slashing at her face ferociously. But as soon as it started, it stopped, the meister suddenly hitting the ground hard. With a grunt and a curse that would make a sailor blush, she opened her eyes to see a deep blue sky above her, big white fluffy clouds gently scattered about. A field, she thought, as she twisted around to check her surroundings, discovering she was sitting at the swell of a hillside. Down below sat a village, wooden huts scattered throughout a small area. A sparkling river flowed beside the bustling town, some villagers at the waters edge collecting the clear substance. _

_Pushing herself up, she slowly took in her surroundings as she made her way down the hill, a slight breeze tickling her skin and teasing her untamed locks. There was something different about the air, almost as if it were nearly pure in form, untainted. It felt refreshing. As she grew closer to the village, the noise level increased as she heard shouts of traders, gleeful screams of children as they ran along the dirt, drunken men catcalling the young women as they passed by. Climbing a small embankment landed her just at the edge of the housing and she tried to process everything in front of her. Everything from their clothing, their mannerisms, villagers squatting by the river's edge to relieve themselves, the filthy feet of the children running past her; there was no sign of modern technology anywhere. _

"_You are right about that," A deep voice chuckled and Maka nearly snapped her neck from looking over her shoulder so fast. _

"_Viktor…" The man gave her a warm smile, his face no longer concealed with a mask. _

_He stood behind her, dressed in a black kimono with a pink lotus flower pinned over his heart. A wooden necklace draped around his neck, intricate markings written in black on each individual bead. A rosary was wrapped around his right wrist, a silver bell adorning the red tassel, chiming softly as it moved. Blonde locks flickered freely in the breeze as he stared at her with contentment. His feet were bare as he lightly treaded the dirt to stand beside her, his eyes trailing back to the bustling village. _

"_I was waiting for when you would touch the envelope, Maka," Viktor glanced at her before motioning with his head to follow. "I had felt a bad omen coming, before we went into battle, and had Flyorova assist me in sealing a part of my soul within the letter."_

"_Where…__**when**__ are we exactly?" Maka asked as they strolled down the path. She went to step out of the way of a small child barreling towards her when he phased right through her, unaffected by her presence. _

"_We cannot be seen, we are merely ghosts." Viktor mused as he watched Maka's expression turn to horrified confusion as she examined her body where the child passed through. "Well, __**I **__literally am, but that is not why we are here. This is over a thousand years in the past, long before the time Asura went insane and became sealed by Lord Death. This was the birthplace of the original Hidden Shadow Clan village before they slowly began conquering the land where the present generation resides."_

"_So, this is a memory of sorts?" How was any of this even possible?_

"_Ninja secrets, friend, that is the key to clan preservation. But there is a reason I have brought you here." Viktor stopped just outside of the largest building in the area, a three storied wooden sanctum with gleaming golden gables. _

_The shrine itself was impressive, towering over the rest of the village with its deep red paint and massive pillars that were traced over with intricate golden symbols. Large windows on the second and third floors allowed plenty of light while keeping dust a debris at bay with their paper barriers. At the top was a set of doors leading to a small balcony, a platform of sorts for announcements Maka decided. There was a commotion near the entrance, a small crowd having gathered near the shrine stairs. The village men had their swords drawn, shouting at a cloaked person being swiftly ushered inside, armored men pushing the crowd back with metal poles. The women and children stayed at the rear, armed with heavy sticks and rocks. A clang shot through the air and Maka watched in horror as a samurai deflected a katana attack before kicking the man's feet out beneath him and slamming the pole down over his chest. There was a sickening crunch, wide green eyes watching in horror as his ribs caved inward, blood gurgling from his lips as he twitched violently before slowly falling still, unseeing eyes wide towards the sky. Two more guards quickly dragged him away by his ankles, blood soiling the dirt as they were shifting the body out of sight behind a hut. _

"_How could they just—__**murder a man**__ and then dump his body?" Maka whispered in horror, the sickening crunch ringing in her ears. The churning in her stomach made her mouth water. _

"_This era was constantly filled with violence, especially against those who are protecting a high-ranking person." Viktor patted her shoulder gently. "Samurai are highly trained warriors paid to protect those above the squalor of the poorest and they do not spare anyone deemed a threat. Even children have fallen at their hands."_

"_Monsters…" _

"_History is a lot more violent and cruel than you might think. The person who entered the shrine is who we must follow. Come, you must see what happens in order to better understand why you are here." _

_They phased through the crowd with ease, their angry voices nearly deafening as they screamed slurs and threw anything they could at the samurai standing diligently at their posts. Maka looked into the dirty and worn faces of the villagers, sensing the desolation and despair within their souls. It was a rough life, poor and struggling to survive each and every day, never knowing when death would come with its sweet embrace to take you away. The massive iron doors resting at the entrance began to groan as they were pushed closed, three men on each side pushing the heavy slabs of metal with everything they had. Viktor and Maka shifted through them with ease, the loud metal boom echoing from behind them. _

"_Witch Mardella, I suggest you gain control of your men before I have you executed where you stand." A middle-aged man snarled as he swiftly stood from his throne centered in the room, regal black and gold embroidered robes snapping angrily around him. A medium sized fire burned just to his right, priests cloaked in white chanting and throwing bones into the hungry flames. A scrawny man stood to the left of the throne, eyes darting nervously between the two standing figures, scrolls filling his arms._

"_Shogun Tsuchiya Sukejuro, your villager attacked my guard, it was within his right to defend himself." The young woman replied coolly, flicking her long silver hair over her shoulder. "If you are just going to waste my precious time by screaming at me like an ill-mannered child, then I will take my resources elsewhere."_

_Tension skyrocketed between the two, the samurai protecting both sides eyeing each other up, their grips tightening around their weapons. Magic seemed to flare at the witch's fingertips as she glowered at the Lord standing mere feet from her. Maka flinched backwards as her soul wavelength expanded, swirling with such power that an invisible wind had kicked up, nearly extinguishing the flames. With a clenched jaw, the shogun raised a hand, telling his men to stand down. _

"_Very well, I will overlook it this time. I am short on time, so please hurry this along." Shogun Sukejuro sighed heavily as he returned to his throne, dropping heavily into it. _

_With a scoff the witch pulled her power back, eyeing the man before her distastefully. Long black robes concealed her frame with intricate weavings of gold and silver thread depicting the night sky and constellations. While she didn't don a hat like most of the current generation of witches did, her robe had a matching hood nestled behind her neck. Though she couldn't quite see her face, Maka could sense the tremendous amount of power she held within her soul. There were wisps encircling the oddly dark purple soul, linked together like the chain of a watch. _

"_Her soul…there's something odd about it," Maka whispered to Viktor, eyes locked onto the unusual sight. "A chain of silver is encircling the soul, but that isn't all. It's dark purple; almost as if there were madness in it, yet not. I've never seen anything like it before."_

"_Ah, that is because she is no ordinary witch, friend, she is the Witch of the Eternal Time." Viktor spoke normally, watching the scene before him unfold with interest. _

"_Witch of the Eternal Time…?"_

"_In a simplified term, she is the __**true**__ mother of all witches. She has survived for thousands of years, hidden away in a separate plane of reality, though she tends to wander this realm frequently. Lord Death never knew about her due to her nomad tendencies. She was created by an unknown being who messed with the laws of time and space, forcing the power of Chronos into her soul and creating the most powerful witch in existence. Ametrine, her power was perhaps around one percent or less compared to Mardella Sipheron."_

"_O-one percent…Ametrine's power?" Maka choked out, whirling to look at the ninja with wide eyes, her body trembling. "T-there's no way…she'd be—there's no way anyone could defeat her!" _

"_Why do you think the shogun backed down? Anyone who has challenged her or threatened harm to befall upon her was erased from time." Viktor felt uneasy looking at the shoguns face, a devious glint hidden within his eyes. "Mardella is not one who enjoys fighting or violence, hence why she has hired the samurai to do her dirty work. But she was known throughout the land as an __**oni**__, a demon, and many feared her. Many have fallen at the hands of her hired men."_

_Maka opened and closed her mouth, speechless as she turned back to look at the witch. For someone so powerful, she looked fairly young. Glancing at Viktor, she moved to get a better angle, legs shaking as she walked. It was the overwhelming sensation of fear that stopped her movement, her eyes trailing up to Mardella's slowly. As if sensing the gaze, the witch broke her glare at the shogun to stare in her direction curiously. She was definitely a beauty by any era's standard, a small petite nose, full luscious lips, flawless skin tinted slightly pink. It was her eyes that threw the meister off guard. A rich molten amber speckled with silver and black, an exceedingly rare coloring combination in any known record of genetics. But then again, was she fully a witch? Had she started out as human? A god?_

"_M-my Lord, if I may speak?" The scrawny man next to the shogun stuttered quietly, shifting the heavy weight in his arms. _

"_Speak." _

"_I-I have done the calculations, along with taking the advice from the priests, and I believe if our clan were to begin invading lands following the rivers, we would have the means to build up our forces large enough to overcome Lord Iwazaki of the East."_

"_Interesting. Witch Mardella, have you any visions to support this idea?" Lord Sukejuro shifted to sit straight on his throne, locking his fingers beneath his chin as he eyed the witch with a barely contained excited look. _

_Mardella's eyes darted back to him, sighing as she exhaled, bringing her palms up to rest against the center of her chest. An odd sensation poured over Maka as the witch began to chant beneath her breath, her cloak beginning to lift from the ground, without a trace of wind. A ring of gold began forming on the wooden flooring, lines of unknown symbols slowly lifting from the glow, the tendrils slowly vining around her body. As they linked together above her head, they suddenly burst into silver links of chain, moving seamlessly in rhythm as they raced around her, forming an orb. Reaching her right hand towards the closest chain, Mardella barely touched it when it suddenly dissolved into nothingness. Silver locks whipped around her face as wide eyes stared into the unknown, the color of her irises changing rapidly as time showed her every possible outcome. _

"_Is she…reading time?" Maka asked breathlessly, feeling a tingling sensation within her soul. _

"_Yes. The power of Chronos lives within her, something that very few believed possible." Viktor seemed unfazed by the power of a God as he crossed his arms over his chest. "In this era, lesser known shogun would contact Mardella for her time reading abilities, in the hopes that they could overpower their enemies and reign over the lands. She can see any and all possibilities regarding her visions, yet only she knows which is true. Depending on what she was gifted depends on the outcome of the shogun's destiny."_

"_So, whoever bribes her the most gets the better outcome? That's ridiculous!" Maka seethed as watched the golden light and chains vanish from around the witch, her cloak settling noiselessly back against the ground. _

"_Look at it this way, Maka," Viktor turned his white gaze to hers, face neutral. "Whatever future she may read to them, in the end, they always choose the correct one. History does not change due to the fact she offers advice. Chronos does not have the ability to alter the timeline at free will, thus, Mardella does not either. If the two were separated, then the world we, __**you**__, know would never be the same. Chronos would be altering the world out of control and Mardella most likely would not exist, therefore the future generations of witches would have never come to be. Lord Death would not have created the DWMA, Asura never would have been born, demon weapons like Soul would not exist, __**you**__ would never exist, at least the way you do now. Everything is planned precisely and with reason, down to the smallest microorganisms in the ground."_

"_It was destined for them to be merged together," Maka felt the gears turning in her mind. "Chronos, he has a daughter though, Ananke. The deity of fate, right?" _

"_You have done your history," Viktor smiled down at her. "Yes, Ananke is the daughter of Chronos, deity of necessity and fate. She aids with the decisions her father makes, as he was the one to self-create at the dawn of the universe and split it into the heaven, sea, and Earth, though she is not confined to the Earth as he is. The choice made here passes through Ananke before returning to Chronos, who then reveals the vision. Without her, there is no telling what the outcome would be."_

_Maka mulled the information over in her mind. But how did everything begin? How did Chronos become trapped in the body of a human? Being that Gods were the highest known beings there were, it must have been another God that punished the Father of Time for a crime and banished them to a life on Earth. Just from the history books she had read, at least a few dozen if not more, Chronos had once heard of a prophecy that his children would overcome his power, so he had swallowed them whole._ _Was someone punishing him for that crime, or was it something else?_

"_Your future has been decided, here is the scroll deciding your fate." Mardella speaking snapped Maka from her thoughts, the witch handing a small golden scroll to the shogun's aid. _

"_Ah, many thanks, Witch Mardella. I hope you will be able to aid us once more in the future." Lord Sukejuro beamed at her, clasping his palm over his fist and bowing. Mardella returned the bow before turning on her heel and heading for the door. _

_The shogun's aid scurried behind her, having abandoned his scrolls on a nearby tablet. A coin purse was tugged from behind his belt as they stopped at the entrance, waiting for the doors to open. With a series of bows and murmurs of gratitude, the aid handed her the bag, receiving a kind smile in return. The two samurai flanking her sides each received a bag as well, nodding slightly beneath their heavy helmets. _

_Viktor tapped her shoulder as he made to follow behind the witch, almost gliding across the floor. With one last look at the eager shogun unrolling his golden scroll, the meister jogging to catch up to her taller companion. _

"_What are you trying to tell me by showing me all of this?" Maka asked once they were outside once more, the crowd of angry villagers throwing their weapons at the hooded witch. "Does this have to do with why I feel like I'm forgetting something?" _

"_The reason you are forgetting is because your mind does not know what it is you are forgetting." Viktor clasped his hands behind his back while he walked, the bell on his wrist tinkling from the movement. "That is not the only reason you are here, Maka; I was not the only one who wanted you here, in this era." _

"_Wait, are you saying—?"_

_They had just exited the village, stopping on the outskirts of a dense forest path. In front of her, Mardella suddenly halted her steps, cloak swinging wildly as she turned. Time slowed to a halt, everything from the grass and trees to her guards freezing in time, their colors turning a dull grey. With a tug of her hood, the witch revealed her face once more, silver locks flowing freely behind her as golden eyes swirled with specks of white and black. _

"_Hello, Maka Albarn," She smiled kindly, tucking her locks behind her ear. "It's nice to finally meet you."_

* * *

"_W-wait a minute…" Maka sputtered as she looked between the two, eyes wild as her brain came to a screeching halt. "H-how did you—you stopped time? This doesn't make any sense! Viktor, what's going on?" The ninja merely shrugged though there was a miniscule twitch of his lips. _

"_Pardon my actions, but it was the only way I was able to contact you. Your world is unstable right now and my arrival would cause some…unintentional distortions. I foretold Viktor's ancestors that the letter I had bestowed upon them was to be passed down for generations until it reached your timeline. Ananke ensured it had a safe journey there."_

"_Since that letter had arrived just before the battle, I was able to seal a part of my soul within the letter she forged over a thousand years ago. It was given to Flyorova who passed it along to Lord Death. It was enchanted to bring you here, to the timeline where she resided." Viktor explained gently, the poor girl next to him looking like she was about to pass out. _

"_I am sorry, but there is not much time, Viktor." Mardella cast him a sorrowful look, her hands twisting nervously at her front. "Miss Albarn, I summoned you here to warn you of a disturbance in time in your era, one that my power cannot reach. You dealt with the witch Ametrine, you understand her desire to release the madness?" With a slow nod from the girl she continued. "From what my visions have foretold, her soul was not destroyed that day. In fact, I was watching when it happened and felt a warp in the time space continuum as you appeared to have destroyed her body. It seems her soul was taken, and a portion of the madness was taken out of that pocket of space by an unknown entity."_

_It clicked in Maka's mind; when she sliced through Ametrine, there was no resistance, almost as if she had been a __**shell**__. _

"_How do I find this…entity then?" She asked slowly. The more they talked, the more confused she was becoming. _

"_They reside in the same timeline as you, on the same Earth. I can guide you to a broad area of where I presume they reside, but I cannot reveal the exact location." The witch shook her head, eyes portraying the unintentional restraint. "Your answer will be within the box given to you as well, another gift passed down hundreds of generations." _

"_Ah, the one mother showed me when I was younger." The light in Viktor's eyes dimmed as he thought of his mother, a painful ache in his heart. "Is she…is she okay?" _

"_Kid, Black Star, and Tsubaki were there, for your…service, and from what they told me, she considers us all family now." He barked out a laugh, running a hand through his hair. _

"_She always did that, considering everyone her children. Thank you, I know she will be alright without me there." _

"_Viktor, I must insist," Mardella pleaded, grabbing onto his sleeve desperately. "Time is beginning to sway, I cannot keep either of you here any longer. She must return to her timeline and you must move on, to be with Vika." _

"_Forgive me, Mardella, I got too excited." Viktor apologized with a quick pat on her shoulder. "Maka, I will escort you back to the hill where you entered. Mardella, thank you for your time and knowledge, I will ensure she is returned home."_

_With a curtsey, the witch smiled as she waved the two farewell. As soon as they disappeared down the pathway, her lips fell into a deep frown. Things were about to get extremely messy and the thought troubled her deeply. With a sigh, Mardella turned back around as time continued to flow, matching the steps of her samurai seamlessly as they entered the forest. _

* * *

"_Viktor, what does all of this mean? Ametrine isn't truly dead? And what about this entity? None of this is making sense!" Maka blurted out as she stopped in the center of the village, gripping the sides of her head tightly. "If I don't know __**who**__ is causing all of this, then I can't figure out how to fix it! Please, tell me something that will help!" _

_Viktor slowly turned to face her, his eyes pitying. He felt his heart ache; he had not told her the entire truth. About everything. The visions and omens and bad feelings he had back in Russia weren't just his heightened senses; they were messages from Mardella. Though meddling with the affairs of the flow of time was a serious offense, one that could cause the world as they knew it to alter drastically, the witch had the guidance of Ananke whose guidance stayed true. Those pleading green eyes hit the soft spot he had for her and he let out a relenting sigh. _

"_Even I do not know who it is, but I can tell you that the power they possess is similar to Mabaa-dono. Her magic has the ability to alter with time and space, as you have seen, and we are to believe they are using Ametrine's soul to unleash Asura fully by alternating the timeline. Mardella will do everything in her power to stop it, but the rest will have to be up to you and your friends. I am sorry."_

"_I was right," She whispered, more to herself than him, "I had a feeling that opening the letter would cause the peace to end. How did I get mixed up in all of this? I just wanted a normal life; graduate from the DWMA, get married, start a family, keep the world __**safe**__ for as long as I'm able to." _

"_And you will be able to do all of those things," Viktor enveloped her small body, much to her surprise, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "I cannot predict nor control fate, but you were put in this world for a reason, Maka. Your destiny is to protect the world, no amount of danger will sway it." _

_Maka felt the warmth of his words as she slowly hugged him back. It was his final goodbye. They would never speak or meet again after this timeline. After a minute, they pulled apart, wavering green orbs looking into peaceful white ones. _

"_Vika is waiting for me, so let us get you back home to your partner." His smile almost seemed sad and the meister nodded silently. _

_The remainder of the walk was quiet save for the rambunctious children of the village, running around the path with sticks and wooden swords, practicing their swings and blocks. Women passed them by, carrying large baskets of laundry at their hips, chatting cheerfully as they made their way home. A few traders pulled their carts behind them, hoping to set up in the small area, calling out their quality wares. A few dogs pranced around, hoping for scraps and affection. As they made their way up the hill, the sun began to dip lower in the sky, breathtaking hues of red, orange, and yellow making Maka pause. The world seemed so…peaceful. _

"_This is where we part, Maka." Viktor said quietly, watching as she slowly tore her eyes from the setting sun. "No more than an hour should have passed in your world. I…hope you can forgive me for the way I acted when we first met." _

"_There's nothing to forgive, Viktor, I assure you. I know you were just following orders. Friends forgive each other," She smiled brightly, moving to stand beside him. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you, back in the cavern. If I had been stronger…"_

"_You are perhaps the strongest person I have met in a long time, Maka Albarn, and I can tell you have a strong heart and desire to protect everything around you. Fate was ready to take me, and I readily accepted. In a lot of ways, you remind me of Vika." He smiled before it faltered, his eyes distant. "Give Black Star and the others my regards."_

"_Of course."_

"_Farewell, Maka Albarn, it was a pleasure knowing you." Viktor extended his hand. _

"_Goodbye, Viktor, we'll never forget you. Go, Vika is waiting for you." Maka clasped his hand back tightly, giving him a watery smile as tears slipped down her cheeks. _

"_Soul is waiting for you as well. We will be watching over you all." _

_As the familiar sensation of being pulled into the soul started, Maka could've sworn a figure appeared next to Viktor, locking arms and smiling up at him brightly. He returned the smile and the two began walking towards the sunset, together at last. _

* * *

**Oh man, I got a little emotional at the last part y'all. So sad! Let's keep moving forward! **


	18. Memory Lane

**Thank you Chloee0x0, DarkHazen, and snitchykun for the reviews! And thank you to everyone following and favoriting the story! Means a lot to me. Onward!**

***Have some smut! But not **_**too**_** much. ***

* * *

Maka shot awake, her eyes wide as she tried to gather her bearings. She had been falling, for how long she couldn't say, but instead of hitting the ground like last time, it felt like she was suddenly jerked to a stop along the way. With a painful pounding in her head, she slowly pushed herself up, glancing at her surroundings. Soft yellow walls with a few paintings tapped into them, small white reading lamp beside her bed, yellow alarm clock, massive quantities of books overflowing from bookshelves. The desk against the wall held a small white box, a red tag dangling over the lid. A Large bay window overlooking the streets of Death City, the streetlights glowing warmly in the blanket of night. She was in her room. The familiar floral print of her comforter slipped from her chest to flop onto her lap. Had she put that there? With a foggy mind she slid from the bed, wobbling slightly as she made for her door. She couldn't remember what she had been doing.

The living room was brightly lit and empty as she wandered by towards the kitchen for some water, throat and mouth dry as the Sahara Desert. It was mid-drink that a door down the hallway opened and footsteps shuffled across the wooden floor. Soul was running a hand through his hair while mumbling under his breath, oblivious to the fact Maka was standing there staring at him, glass raised to her lips. His hand reached for her door when he stopped, becoming suddenly alert as he noticed it was opened.

"Sorry, I was thirsty." Maka said quietly, though her lips twitched at the sight of him breathing a heavy sigh of relief, his soul losing its tense wavering.

"How are you feeling? You've been out for a few hours." Setting the empty glass down on the table, she readily accepted his embrace, strong arms locking her in place.

"Headache, but fine. How did I end up in bed? Did I take a nap or something?"

"You…you don't remember?" Soul pulled back to frown at her.

"No? Soul, what happened to me?" Maka could feel the uncertainty in his soul. "What are you not telling me?"

"When you went to touch the envelope, there was a spell, or something attached to it and you suddenly became unresponsive. I couldn't touch you, there was some sort of electricity field that kept me back. You became unconscious after that."

"Envelope…what are you talking about? I don't remem—"

Maka stilled as it all came flooding back to her; the madness, the soul, the village, Viktor, the _Witch of the Eternal Time…_ Thankfully Soul kept his grip on her as the room began to spin, trembling legs giving out. Everything, she remembered _everything._ With a swift movement, she was resting easily in his arms as he moved towards the couch.

"What's wrong, Maka?" He cupped her face as she settled into the cushions. "What happened to you?"

The love and concern pouring into her soul nearly made her weep, but there would be time for that later; they had an entity to hunt down. Resting her hands on his arms she leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. Instead of telling him, she could _show_ him.

"Resonate with me, Soul, I can show you everything." Maka breathed as she closed her eyes, feeling the memory tingling in her mind. "It will explain what Viktor was trying to tell me."

"Alright." Soul agreed, feeling the familiar spark of resonance light up.

Their souls connected and they were both hurtled into Maka's memories, images flying past them at dizzying speeds. A certain frame began to glow brightly, breaking from the long chain of images to settle in front of them. Without slowing down, they entered the memory with a flash of light. Soul kept his grip tight on Maka's hand as they slowly hovered above the ground, watching as her consciousness struggled against the darkness before reaching out for the single soul. The writhing madness was gone, replaced with memory Maka hitting the ground at the top of a hill, cursing loudly.

"I don't think I've ever heard you say those words, Maka, such a filthy mouth." Soul teased as she shot him an embarrassed glare, cheeks burning red.

"S-shut up! It hurt when I hit the ground!"

"I'll have to remember this as black mail…"

"Hurry, we need to follow…memory me." Maka wrinkled her nose. It felt weird to be following herself, even if it was her own memory.

Memory Maka had just reached the edge of the village, standing there in shock as she took everything in. A figure suddenly appeared behind her, smiling ruefully at the meister.

"Viktor," Soul looked surprised to see him standing there. "How did he get in here?"

"Elder Flyorova helped him seal a portion of his soul into the letter so he could help me understand why I was here." Maka smiled sadly at the man, her heart feeling heavy as she watched her memory jerk around to see him. It felt like it had been longer since she last saw him instead of just a few hours ago. "Everything was planned by the witch Mardella, including the letter and box. She's actually a really nice person."

"No ulterior motives?"

"Not that I can tell. Just listen, you'll understand everything." Maka shushed him and pointed with her free hand as they floated closer to listen in.

Soul and Maka floated above the memory, watching and listening as Viktor explained everything. As the child ran through memory Maka, the scythe mimicked her startled look, subconsciously running his hand over where he passed through as though he could feel it. Soul glanced around at everything, eyeing everything with curiosity as he strolled through history. Outside of the shrine, when the male villager began clashing with the samurai, the meister looked away and squeezed her eyes shut. Before he could ask, he heard the clang and looked over to see the man on the ground, the samurai swinging the pole above his head. Quickly pulling Maka against him, Soul covered her ears as it collided with the defenseless man, the crack of his ribs causing him to cringe. She twitched, the sound ringing clearly in her ears, even with them being encased in her partners hands.

"What the hell is wrong with these people?" Soul watched with narrow eyes as they dragged the body out of sight. "They just killed him for no reason!"

"_How could they just—__**murder a man**__ and then dump his body?" Maka whispered in horror, the sickening crunch ringing in her ears. The churning in her stomach made her mouth water._

"_This era was constantly filled with violence, especially against those who are protecting a high-ranking person." Viktor patted her shoulder gently. "Samurai are highly trained warriors paid to protect those above the squalor of the poorest and they do not spare anyone deemed a threat. Even children have fallen at their hands."_

"_Monsters…"_

"_History is a lot more violent and cruel than you might think. The person who entered the shrine is who we must follow. Come, you must see what happens in order to better understand why you are here."_

"Things were extremely different a thousand years ago, Soul, it was either fight and die or suffer and die. Ultimately, he chose to fight and die." Maka grimaced as the ringing finally died down, watching as they made their way through the crowd. "Come on, this part is important."

Mardella had thrown her hood back by the time they entered the shrine, moving to float behind memory Maka. It was fascinating to watch the golden circle glow, her celestial cloak shimmering in the light as she released her power. What she hadn't noticed the first time was that the threads on her soul were how the chains materialized. Mardella turned from glaring at the shogun to staring at memory Maka curiously, but unlike last time, her eyes briefly darted to where Soul and Maka floated.

"Can she see us?" Soul asked lowly in Maka's ear, keeping his eyes on the witch.

"She…I don't fully know what she's capable of doing. Maybe she can sense a disturbance in the flow of time," Maka suddenly felt the familiar sensation of her soul being scanned, her chest feeling warm. "I think she can sense our resonance. Maybe there's magic still lingering in the memory and she's accessing it."

They both stiffened when everything around them froze, time coming to a screeching halt. Maka locked eyes with Mardella, the witch raising her hand towards them, magic building in her fingertips. Soul shoved himself in front of his partner, willing his arm to transform. It never did.

"What the hell? I can't transform!" Soul hissed as he tried again and again with the same result. "What did she do?"

"We're in a memory, Soul, I don't think transforming will work here. Nothing can touch us while at the same time we can't touch anything here. I don't sense any hostility coming from her, I think she just wants to talk."

Maka's hunch was correct as a pathway of sorts opened between the themselves and the witch, their sudden floating turning into gravity taking over and sending them crashing a few feet to the floor in a heap. Mardella swiftly made her way over to them, an afterimage of her reading time frozen in the flow of space. Being the graceful one of the two, Maka landed easily on her feet, turning around and offering her hand to pull Soul up.

"Maka Albarn, I was expecting to see you here again." Mardella said with a small smile, turning to look at Soul. "Soul 'Eater' Evans, a pleasure to meet you."

"Uh, same." Soul replied lamely, rubbing the back of his neck. _How did she know his full name?_

"I was showing Soul everything that happened when I was pulled into this era. I didn't think it would be an issue coming here since it's coming from my memory and not the letter." Maka looked at the witch questioningly.

"There are no issues, I just sensed the pull of your resonance and created an alternate bubble of space to speak with you." The witch clasped her hands in front of her, celestial eyes darting between the two with amusement. "I have a little bit of _time_ to spare, so to speak. I see you have not opened the box yet."

"Ah, unfortunately, I was unconscious for a few hours after the first trip." Maka said sheepishly, cheeks tinting the barest shade of pink. "Once we get out of here, we will definitely open it."

"You will know when the correct time is to open it," Meister and weapon shared a confused glance. "There will be a sign from above when fate guides you to its mysterious pull. The numeral III will be your saving grace, as will the numerals XVI, XXIII, and IX. In that particular sequence."

"W-wait, I thought you couldn't reveal the future?" Maka stuttered as she tried to convert the numerals on her fingers.

"I am merely giving advice, nothing less, nothing more." Mardella smiled widely at the two, her eyes seemingly swirling mysteriously. "Soul, what you seek shall soon be found in the most unlikely of places, yet somewhere visited frequently."

"Uh, wait, what does that even mean?" The weapon scratched his head, giving the witch an odd look.

"You shall know when the time comes. It seems I need to return, it was a pleasure seeing you both. We shall meet again at some point." With a curtsey, the witch turned and glided back to her frozen afterimage, seamlessly merging with it.

"What just happened?" Soul turned to Maka with a confused face, scratching to top of his head. This just kept getting weirder and weirder.

"Mardella froze time, created a pocket in space within the memory, pulled us into said space, talked with us and then exited and closed the time space to return to her original timeline all without damaging the flow of time." Maka felt her lips twitch upwards as he stared at her incredulously.

"You meet the weirdest people, Maka Albarn."

"Prime example standing beside me." She teased, receiving a grunt in response.

Time began to move again and the two found themselves floating beside memory Maka, watching as Mardella touched the chain. Everything continued on as planned and they soon found themselves following memory Maka and Viktor to the edge of the forest. Time crawled to a stop once more as the two memories talked with the witch. Soul floated to look at the samurai, eyeing the impressive armor.

"Hey, Maka—"

"No, Soul, you _can't _have samurai armor."

"_I am sorry, but there is not much time, Viktor." Mardella cast him a sorrowful look, her hands twisting nervously at her front. "Miss Albarn, I summoned you here to warn you of a disturbance in time in your era, one that my power cannot reach. You dealt with the witch Ametrine, you understand her desire to release the madness?" With a slow nod from the girl she continued. "From what my visions have foretold, her soul was not destroyed that day. In fact, I was watching when it happened and felt a warp in the time space continuum as you appeared to have destroyed her body. It seems her soul was taken, and a portion of the madness was taken out of that pocket of space by an unknown entity."_

"She never died," The weapon growled, clenching his partners hand tighter. "Viktor died for nothing then and now Ametrine's soul is loose somewhere in the world with the possibly of inhabiting someone's body."

"All of this…what were we even fighting for if someone had planned to take her soul from the very beginning?" Maka clenched her jaw, burning holes into the space below her feet. "That's what I was forgetting, Soul; when we sliced through her, it almost felt like her body didn't exist, like it was empty. I could've sworn her soul was there as I swung…"

"You think maybe the rip in space happened right before Witch Hunter made contact? Maybe it was like with what Mardella just did; tore a pocket into space and entered it while leaving an afterimage behind."

Maka looked up at him with wide eyes. It made perfect sense. Why there was no soul remaining, how everything still looked _normal_ even after she had swung the scythe down. It gave the perfect illusion, almost like a magic trick. Neither she or Kid can sense tears in the space time continuum, and if an afterimage still left residual soul wavelengths…

"That's it, Soul! _That's _how it was done! Kid and I can't sense time distortions, but there is someone we know who most likely _can_."

"Mabaa."

"As soon as we're out of here we need to contact Kid and fill him in on everything. You're a genius!" Maka grabbed her partners face and crashed her lips against his, pulling back all too soon with bright green eyes, cheeks flushed.

"Do I get back pay for all the times I had great ideas?" Soul gave her a lopsided grin, face slightly tinted.

"I-Idiot..." Maka grumbled, crossing her arms over chest, blushing hard.

They floated behind Viktor and memory Maka, the meisters mind racing. If they could get ahold of Mabaa and ask her for more information on other witches with time manipulative magic, then there was the possibility of learning more about the 'entity' that was currently holding Ametrine's soul. The biggest question was _why_. Why was this person, or being, altering time and space for a soul? And why that particular soul? Was it because of the power the witch held? Or was it because Ametrine had merged with the madness? Revenge was usually the go-to thing for enemies against the DWMA and that just branched out into its own chart of possibilities. Maka growled in annoyance. There were still so many questions and not enough _answers_.

Suddenly stopping in the middle of the dirt path, memory Maka grabbed her head in frustration.

"_Viktor, what does all of this mean? Ametrine isn't truly dead? And what about this entity? None of this is making sense!" Maka blurted out as she stopped in the center of the village, gripping the sides of her head tightly. "If I don't know __**who**__ is causing all of this, then I can't figure out how to fix it! Please, tell me something that will help!"_

_Viktor slowly turned to face her, his eyes pitying. He remained silent for a few moments, staring into emerald eyes. Those pleading green eyes hit the soft spot he had for her and he let out a relenting sigh._

"_Even I do not know who it is, but I can tell you that the power they possess is similar to Mabaa-dono. Her magic has the ability to alter with time and space, as you have seen, and we are to believe they are using Ametrine's soul to unleash Asura fully by alternating the timeline. Mardella will do everything in her power to stop it, but the rest will have to be up to you and your friends. I am sorry."_

"_I was right," She whispered, more to herself than him, "I had a feeling that opening the letter would cause the peace to end. How did I get mixed up in all of this? I just wanted a normal life; graduate from the DWMA, get married, start a family, keep the world __**safe**__ for as long as I'm able to."_

"_And you will be able to do all of those things," Viktor enveloped her small body, much to her surprise, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "I cannot predict nor control fate, but you were put in this world for a reason, Maka. Your destiny is to protect the world, no amount of danger will sway it."_

_Memory Maka felt the warmth of his words as she slowly hugged him back. It was his final goodbye. They would never speak or meet again after this timeline. After a minute, they pulled apart, wavering green orbs looking into peaceful white ones._

Maka felt her face turn bright red. She hadn't thought about Soul hearing those deep yearnings and she immediately avoided his heavy stare, focusing on the surrounding villagers. He said nothing, something that both relieved and concerned her at the same time.

_"Vika is waiting for me, so let us get you back home to your partner." His smile almost seemed sad and the meister nodded silently._

_The remainder of the walk was quiet save for the rambunctious children of the village, running around the path with sticks and wooden swords, practicing their swings and blocks. Women passed them by, carrying large baskets of laundry at their hips, chatting cheerfully as they made their way home. A few traders pulled their carts behind them, hoping to set up in the small area, calling out their quality wares. A few dogs pranced around, hoping for scraps and affection. As they made their way up the hill, the sun began to dip lower in the sky, breathtaking hues of red, orange, and yellow making Maka pause. The world seemed so…peaceful._

Just as she was doing now, Maka turned her gaze to the sunset, taking in the serenity of the small village. An arm slipped around her waist and she leaned against Soul as they watched the perfect sunset together. After the spat with Ametrine, the meister was thankful for the small moment of peace. Lips pressed against her head and she hummed in contentment, tightening her grip on him.

"Things may have been terrible back then, but then you look at something like this and realize the true beauty of the world. Reminds you of how limited your time is on earth and to enjoy every moment of it." Maka looked up at him in surprise, a loving smile quickly adorning her face.

"As long as I have you by my side, I already enjoy every moment of my life. I couldn't imagine it without you, Soul."

"Neither could I, Maka. You're my everything and _more_. I love you."

"I love you too."

His fingertips traced her jaw before cupping her face, leaning in to capture her lips. With featherlight movement, Maka rested her hand against his chest, closing the distance between them. The kiss was warm, tender, full of deeper feelings than _I love you_. Everything Maka thought a kiss could be was nothing compared to this moment of emotions and her heart skipped a beat from being so full. She wanted to know, to see, to _feel_ how far those emotions could go, yearning for a deeper sensation.

Meister and weapon pulled apart, faces flushed, eyes bright, to see memory Maka turning around at Viktor's voice. They watched as the two shared an emotional moment, tears welling up in emerald orbs.

"_This is where we part, Maka." Viktor said quietly, watching as she slowly tore her eyes from the setting sun. "No more than an hour should have passed in your world. I…hope you can forgive me for the way I acted when we first met."_

"_There's nothing to forgive, Viktor, I assure you. I know you were just following orders. Friends forgive each other," She smiled brightly, moving to stand beside him. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you, back in the cavern. If I had been stronger…"_

"_You are perhaps the strongest person I have met in a long time, Maka Albarn, and I can tell you have a strong heart and desire to protect everything around you. Fate was ready to take me, and I readily accepted. In a lot of ways, you remind me of Vika." He smiled before it faltered, his eyes distant. "Give Black Star and the others my regards."_

"_Of course."_

"_Farewell, Maka Albarn, it was a pleasure knowing you." Viktor extended his hand._

"_Goodbye, Viktor, we'll never forget you. Go, Vika is waiting for you." Maka clasped his hand back tightly, giving him a watery smile as tears slipped down her cheeks._

"_Soul is waiting for you as well. We will be watching over you all."_

Memory Maka was suddenly pulled out of the era, leaving Viktor and an unknown woman grasping his arm. They turned toward the sunset, arm in arm, walking to their final resting place with loving smiles. Maka didn't stop the tears threatening to spill over once more as she smiled at the retreating forms, letting them trail freely down her cheeks.

"They're together again, Soul, just as they wanted."

* * *

The resonance died out and the two found themselves embracing, lips moving together slowly. Maka wasn't sure how long they had been kissing, but she didn't complain as she ran her fingers through his hair. The large hand on the back of her neck drifted up to support the back of her head, the other slipping beneath her knees. Without breaking contact, Soul scooped his meister up from the couch and made his way to his room, pushing the door open with his shoulder. As if he were handling a priceless piece of work, he laid her down on the bed with the utmost care.

"Soul," Maka whispered after they broke apart for air, her lips red and swollen.

"Maka?" He mumbled against her neck, enjoying the way her breath hitched with every featherlight touch of his lips against her skin.

Soul felt the hesitation in her soul and shifted back to look at her. Lying there, on _his bed_, she looked like an angel with her hair fanned out around her, cheeks flushed, green eyes bright. Death above, she looked _so perfect_ resting beneath him.

"What's wrong?" He lightly traced her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Maka instinctively leaned against his touch, hooded eyes staring back at him with a deep want.

"We, uh, don't have any…" Heat traveled up her neck into her face, wide green eyes suddenly looking anywhere but at him.

"Any what…oh. _Oh._" Soul felt his face heat up as well, suddenly nervous. _Oh shit, he wasn't prepared for this yet! Or…was he? Shit, probably not!_

"S-Sorry, I didn't think…" Maka slapped her hands over her face, the heat of embarrassment making her dizzy. "I mean—uh, I uh…if you're…"

"You're going to give yourself heatstroke," Soul teased with a lopsided grin as he laid beside her with one hand propping his head, the other lightly tracing her arm. "If you're not ready, we can wait—"

"I am ready!" Maka blurted through her hands, much to his surprise (and joy). "I-I think I am…just...if _you're_ okay with…it…"

"Y-yeah, I mean, if you're okay, I guess I am too."

"I—should we go get…stuff?" Maka asked meekly, peering through her fingers at him.

"Uh, y-yeah, we can go get…stuff." Soul couldn't stop stuttering like an idiot. Not cool. "M-maybe Blair has extra?"

Maka locked eyes with Soul, neither saying a word for a solid minute before a muffled snort broke the tension. They both doubled over in laughter, tears streaming down the meisters face while Soul held his stomach, guffawing into his comforter as he tried not to roll around.

"Death above, we—we're so terrible at this," Maka wheezed as she tried to control her laughing, failing when Soul let out a muffled snort. "I can't freaking breath! I-I think my lungs are going to give out at this rate!"

"I'm not into necrophilia, Maka," Soul gasped as he rolled onto his back, placing his arms over his eyes, still chuckling. "I love you, but that's _too _much to ask of me."

"S-shut up!" Maka smacked him on the chest, taking deep breaths. "That's just _wrong_ of you to bring up, Soul."

"_You_ started all of this by initiating the kiss during resonance," Soul promptly received a pillow to the face.

"_You_ kissed _me_ in the memory!" Maka huffed with a smile as she continued beating him over the head with his pillow, enjoying the muffled protests. "This is _your fault_, Soul Eater."

Hands suddenly latched onto her wrists and she shrieked as she was pinned against the bed, pillow still clutched tightly in her fists. Soul straddled her hips, a devious look in his eye as he pushed her arms over her head, securing them with a hand to the bed. Maka stared up at him with wide eyes as he leaned over her, a smirk on his face as he blew a hot breath against her ear, feeling her squirm beneath him as he traced his fingers along her side.

"I guess I better _fix it then_, Maka Albarn."

"Uh…s-same problem." Maka mumbled out, mind going blank. Soul taking control when they were in the black room dancing was nothing new, but with him straddling her like _this_…

"Ah, I never said we'd be doing _that_. I've got other ways to tease you..."

"S-Soul, w-wait—!"

Keys jingled and the two froze, staring at each other with deer-in-headlight wide eyes. Whipping his eyes to the clock on his desk, he saw it was nearly one in the morning; Blair had gotten off work. Moving faster than they've ever moved, meister and weapon quickly separated to different areas of the apartment, attempting to look natural. Soul shot towards the bathroom while Maka ran to her room, shutting the door none too quietly.

"Nyah, today was a long day! I think I need a good snack and a bath!" Blair quietly shut the door behind her, using her magic to peel her thigh-high boots off.

Looking up, she noticed that the kitchen and living room lights were still on, something that rarely, if ever happened. Curious, the feline decided to do some snooping around, checking anything that was out of place. A sound coming from Maka's room drew her silently towards it as the edges of her lips curled upward. She had been trying for some time to push them together, even going as far as to work longer shifts so they could have more time alone, and here was hoping it had finally paid off. With a gentle rapping of her knuckles on the door, she heard Maka squeak before shuffling followed. The handle slowly turned, and the door creaked opened.

"B-Blair? Did you need something?" Blair could see the color on her cheeks and held back a wide grin.

"Bu-tan was wondering why the lights were still on? Is everything alright?"

"Y-yeah, sorry, I got distracted and forgot to turn them off. I need to get a drink anyways, so I'll shut them off when I'm done."

"Maka-chan~" Blair purred as she saw the sudden shiftiness in her eyes, wide green orbs glancing down the hallway. "You're hiding something from Bu-tan! Scooch, I want the details!"

Without waiting for an answer, she transformed into a cat and slid right through the crack in the door, twirling around Maka's ankles. Sending an S.O.S. via wavelength to Soul, the meister groaned internally before shutting her door, not looking forward to Blair's prying of her, _still new_, love life. Once the feline caught wind of anything _remotely_ romantic it was over. Moments later she received a _'You're on your own!'_ message and she could almost _hear him laughing_ from down the hallway. She'd get her revenge during the festival tonight, but for now, she had a devious love-obsessed cat to deal with.

Soul won't know what hit him.

_**~*B*~**_

He could feel her sending an S.O.S. every thirty seconds and the scythe couldn't help but snicker in the safety of the bathroom. Better her than him when it came down to Blair's nosiness about anything romantic. Though thanks to a certain partner, there was a certain…_problem_…he had to take care of before he exited the bathroom. It almost felt sinful, thinking about her that way, but the way she was sprawled out beneath him, eyes shining with her hair fanned out on his bed. There was only so much the death scythe could take as a man. Running a hand down his face tiredly, Soul decided a cold shower would suffice for now.

At least, until the moment came when she could help with it.

* * *

**This chapter got a little dirty because who doesn't like smutty things? Also, it was a filler because I'm running low on ideas right now. Doesn't help when I'm in the process of buying a new vehicle and I've been extremely stressed over it. Had my truck for eight years and it's sixteen years old, but it needs thousands in pretty urgent repairs and it just doesn't make sense to keep pouring money into something that continuously breaks. Just paid $450 within the last two months for an air pump and they want $2k more to fix everything else. Not happening. Updates will be a bit slower while I'm dealing with all this stuff. **


	19. Summer Festival

**Chapters will still continue to be slow after this. They've got me working 50 hours a week and it's pretty draining. Plus, The Last of Us Part II came out and it. Is. INSANE. Seriously, go play it even if you've heard the spoilers. **

* * *

"Kid, you can't be serious—!"

"Maka, I'm sorry, but I can't send out a meister who hasn't been medically cleared to return to missions. I will look into this matter personally."

"This isn't fair; this is my mess to clean up, I can handle it by myself. You have to watch over the city—"

"Witch Ametrine blatantly attacked the school and risked the lives of students and the residents of Death City. I have no choice but to retaliate to a direct threat that could have very well killed a large number of citizens. You know I can't take the chance, Maka, it's too much of a risk."

Kid stared up at the meister with a strained expression, his insides felt like they were twisting tightly at her pained face. Maka had burst into the Death Room early in the morning with urgent news, Soul right on her heels. Spilling everything she had experienced from touching the letter to falling back into reality, the meister remained silent as she waited for his response, those intuitive green eyes searching his soul. The name Mardella didn't ring a bell but _The Witch of the Eternal Time_ did, an uneasy sensation settling over him. There had been a few times the Reaper had browsed through the forbidden books section in the library after his father had passed, though he never dared to remove any of them. Something about that name struck him as familiar and he made a note to brush through that section once more.

"I'm _fine_, Kid, I can handle myself on a simple reconnaissance mission. No fighting, no resonating, no strain on my soul." Maka planted her fists on her hips, blowing a strand of hair from her eyes. "You can't expect me to stay here and do nothing!"

"You are on medical leave of absence, Maka, you are not permitted into the field without mine or Stein's clearance. I can't risk losing a _friend_, no matter how simple the mission may seem. What if something were to go wrong and you tried to resonate? What would happen if you over-strained your soul's wavelength or if you got caught up in battle?" Kid was growing weary of this. He was well aware of how stubborn an Albarn could be, but there was no chance he was going to give into her demands. Not after what they just went through. "Stein gave me a copy of the medical report; you are not to do anything strenuous for another week or so to ensure your wavelength completely stabilizes. That includes _any_ missions."

"_Lord Death,_" There it was, the infamous Albarn venomous fury that sent a shiver down the Reaper's spine. "There's a witch out there with magic similar to Mabaa who has Ametrine's soul and Asura's madness, I don't have time to sit around here waiting for my medical leave to be dismissed."

"Maka, please, it can wait until you're fully healed," Liz pleaded from beside Kid, Patty eagerly nodding her agreement. "We already lost you once, we can't lose you again."

"This is nothing compared to the battle with Asura—"

"Maka," Soul grabbed her shoulder, shooting her a silent plea as she shrugged him off. She was shaking, the dam holding back her anger nearly breaking.

"Soul, don't you start with me either. This has become a personal matter; Mardella told me to open the box I was given, it would explain where to find this entity. If we don't stop them now then the whole world could be overwhelmed with madness."

Kid felt his already severely frayed nerves finally snap and he slowly pushed himself up from his chair, looming over the shorter girl. Liz and Patty took a few steps back, clinging to each other as their meisters emotions filtered through resonance. Maka lifted her chin defiantly as Lord Death moved to stand within a few inches of her, looming over her with a dangerous aura rolling from his body. Soul subconsciously shifted closer, a hand gripping the fabric of her shirt to pull his partner back if needed.

"This discussion is over, you are dismissed. If you continue to push this, Maka, _I_ _will suspend you from your meister duties indefinitely._" Kid growled lowly, feeling the slew of emotions emitting from the startled meister. "Soul, I'll need you to stay for a few minutes to discuss an important matter."

The two stared each other down, daring the other to make the first break. Kid wouldn't back down, not this time. It was his duty to protect his students and friends and after the Russia incident, sending her into the field again so soon was a death wish. Golden eyes sent her a silent plea to back down before he was forced to hand down harsher punishment. With a clenched jaw, Maka broke her gaze first, glaring angrily at the floor before turning and storming from the room, breaking from Soul's grip. The door slammed loudly, and a heavy air fell over them.

"Liz, Patty."

"R-right. Let's go, Patty." Liz practically shoved her sister out of the room, leaving the Reaper and death scythe alone.

"If I hadn't done that, Soul, she never would have backed down." Kid sighed and looked towards the Tori gates as he felt red eyes burning into his head.

"Doesn't make it right to threaten her with suspending her meister duties." Soul huffed, stuffing his hands into his jeans. "All that did was fuel her resolve to find this entity before a full wave of madness is released into the world."

"Maka wasn't the only one to be contacted by the Witch Mardella Sipheron." Soul looked at Kid with a raised brow.

Pulling an envelope from beneath his suit jacket, Kid handed it to the weapon, pinching the bridge of his nose stressfully. "This was waiting for me after we all departed last night. No return address, no name written on the front or back. Though judging by what the letter contained, I have no doubt that she wrote it."

Soul's eyes darted over the aged parchment, rereading the bottom of the page with knotted brows.

"If I hadn't met her in person, I wouldn't believe bullshit like this, but considering I _have_, I know she's not lying." Soul lowered the letter to look at Kid. "This is a major problem, Kid."

"I believe Maka's words and yours, Soul, and if this is implying what I think it is then we're going to need backup. I'll contact Mabaa-dono and get started on pulling any information that I can on the matter. Flyorova as well." Kid plopped heavily onto his chair, dragging a hand down his face tiredly. "Soul, not a word of this leaves the room. The reason I pulled you aside separately is because you and I need to travel Africa to meet with Dengu in regard to possible pre-Kishin sightings."

"And you don't want Maka to know because she'll fight like hell to go." Soul finished, grimacing. That means he would have to leave her here, alone. The thought dropped his heart down to his stomach like an anchor in water.

"I know it's not ideal, but I need a Death Scythe who knows how to fight these creatures. It will only be a short mission, a week at the absolute most. We leave the day after tomorrow, early in the morning, so I suggest you prepare Maka while you can."

"Fine, but I'm not doing it tonight. She needs to take a break from this mess."

"Very well. I'll see you at the festival tonight then, Soul. Report back to me in the morning, eight preferably."

"You've gotta get over that damned OCD, Kid."

Soul turned and made it halfway to the door when Kid called out to him.

"I suggest you both update your wills… our luck doesn't last forever."

* * *

_Timber crackled softly as flames licked eagerly at it, the bark turning black before falling off as the fire was prodded. A satisfied hum filled the air as aged floorboards creaked beneath heavy footsteps. Vials clacked and screeched against a wooden table as they were shoved aside, hands shuffling for their intended target. With a muttered curse and some fumbling, an oil lantern groaned to life, the flame flickering as it greedily absorbed the oil. _

"_You should really update this place, such a filthy hole you live in." A snide voice rang through the air, almost staticky in sound. "I'm surprised you even still live here, considering it's a stone's throw from one of the Realm portals. Mabaa banished you centuries ago yet here you are, still within range and hiding in plain sight beneath their noses. Intervening a battle to the death, stealing another witch's soul, a powerful one at that, and for what exactly?" _

_No answer. _

"_Ignoring me now? Your reputation of egotistical tendencies definitely precedes you—"_

"_You know," A gravelly voice rasped, interrupting the ranting one. "I really do enjoy a nice frog dinner, especially ones that are filled with an energetic soul. Something about it __**really**__ hits the spot." _

"_Threats won't get you anywhere, hag, you still need my soul." _

"_I never said I would kill the frog as I ate it. Feeling every anguishing bite into its legs, slowly tearing them apart, ripping the muscles and tendons while breaking the bones into little tiny pieces. I do like to savor the legs most of all, so delectable."_

"_No wonder Mabaa banished you from the Realm, you're fucking insane. Those old tales must be true then; you're the—"_

"_Unless you want the very essence squeezed from your soul, I suggest you shut up." The voice snarled as glass shattered against the wall. "Your crimes are nothing to be proud of either. Unleashing Asura's madness upon the Realm, disgracing and destroying the Coven, killing hundreds for your experiments, blowing up Death City, getting on the bad side of Lord Death, alliancing yourself with the Hidden Shadow Clan in Northern Russia just to submerge the world in overwhelming darkness. May I remind you, Ametrine, that you __**failed**__. You got sloppy and let your guard down, letting a __**child**__ defeat you so easily is pathetic and disgraceful to the witch lineage. If it were not for me saving your wretched soul, then you would have been erased from this world. Bring up Mabaa or my crimes once more and you shall see why no one exists after my power is used."_

_Ametrine's soul wiggled gently in its cage, translucent tail flickering angrily against the magical prison. If her face could appear within the orb, crimson eyes would be blasting holes in the ancient witches' head. The witch shuffled various jars and bottles around on the table, jaw clenched tightly as she arranged everything back into order. An oversized cloak covered the witches' frame from head to toe, concealing her true form. The thick dark fabric rustled across the floor, stirring up years of settled dust as she moved about the small cottage. It was dilapidated both inside and out, maintaining an abandoned vibe to deter nosey people. On occasion, someone would enter the crumbling cottage only to find it filled with debris and moss._

"_You know…"_

"_Do not make me waste my energy on vaporizing you."_

"_Again, you need my soul. What exactly is your plan if you encounter Maka Albarn? She isn't that easy to take down. Came back to life, even after I put that curse on her body." _

"_The Deathbell Curse? I have not heard of that being used in eons." The witch mused while pulling a bulky book from a warped bookcase. "There are a few lesser known rules that apply to the curse and using it correctly. One; the intended target, if they so possess a powerful anti-demon soul wavelength, can overcome the effects of the curse, therefore purifying it and causing it to fail. Two; if you do not correctly write the scripture upon the victim, the curse shall become void once activated. Judging by the lack of insults coming from you, I would say you neglected to read the spell in its entirety." _

"_I didn't exactly have all the time in the world to read __**everything**__. Besides, I did do some damage to her. It seems her resonance has become unstable, meaning—"_

"_Yes, yes, it means she cannot resonate without the risk of doing permanent damage to her body. Who do you think was watching that battle in order to pull your soul from its crippled vessel?" The witch cut Ametrine off, raising a brow when she heard the faintest of scoffs. "I created that curse centuries ago, I know the damaging effects of its power. The fact that she remains alive is intriguing, to say the least. Those with Grigori souls certainly are special."_

"_Soul 'Eater' Evans is her partner, a Death Scythe. The last one to be precise. Separating them would be best, considering the pair are nearly inseparable. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if Lord Death were to continue to hold his annual festival in say…less than twelve hours?"_

_Ametrine tried to steel her nerves as the woman slowly approached her, curiosity getting the better of the witch. As powerful as she was, the fact that an ancient witch with the power to distort time and space stood before her was terrifying, to say the least. A few strands of black hair slipped from beneath her cloak as she moved, changing from dry and ratty to luscious and full in a shimmer of light. Deep sea blue eyes peered at the wavering soul through a curtain of locks, light flashing across them almost unnoticeably. She reached out to Ametrine, the skin of her hand soft and supple as it grasped the edge of the box. Full pink lips parted to reveal impossibly perfect teeth as the witch became eye level with the orb. _

"_Oh? You are more useful than you appear. Now, my little caged birdie, tell me what I want to know, and I may even let you have a temporary body to enjoy the show."_

"_The snakes and spiders never lie, Witch Esadora, parting gifts from my dearly departed sister and child. Take a seat and I'll tell you everything you want to know." _

_Ametrine felt a smirk growing on her non-existent lips. Witch Esadora was an incredibly powerful witch who conquered many lands in her younger days, leading the Coven to many victories with minimal casualties. Though she used to be an admirable leader in battle, the woman certainly loved to toy with the humans, even going so far as to open, most often, deadly alternate realties in space for them. With her controlling the madness and the stream of time, there was no telling what would happen. No longer was Ametrine able to seek her revenge against the DWMA and that damned Scythe meister Maka Albarn…. but if there's a will, there's a way. _

"_I'll start from the beginning." _

_This had better end well._

* * *

_Mardella froze mid quill stroke, a cold sensation creeping through her spine as the hairs stood on the back of her neck. Something was wrong. __**Very wrong**__. Past, present, or future, she wasn't quite sure yet. All she knew was that it could alter the timeline and drastically veer the course of time off track. Shoving back her chair loudly, the witch sprinted from her study and into the warmly lit hallway of her cottage, racing for the main stairs. A closed door above her suddenly creaked as an unnatural force pushed against it from within, the thick wood bending. Light spewed from beneath the door, nearly blinding the girl as she turned the brass knob and swung the door open. _

_There, in the center of the room, sat a glass orb atop a pillar, resting in the center of a plush pillow. Mardella watched in horror as a tiny crack appeared in the smooth surface of the thick glass, light refracting through the dozens of miniscule jagged edges. For most of eternity, it had sat there quietly, flashing live feed of natural disasters, mass killings, war zones all across the world. But it also showed momentous points of time; countries forming their independence, abolishment of slavery, beginnings of equality, neighbors helping neighbors, heroic acts of everyday people. History from the very beginning of time was recorded into the ball, capturing every moment in time from the first signs of life to the first evolved human and to the current strife's between neighboring countries. Another small crack branched from the first, sending the witches' nerves into overdrive. __**This wasn't supposed to happen**__. The orb was composed of celestial minerals, the toughest substance in the entire solar system. Someone was distorting time itself. _

"_Heavens above, hear my call, my command." Mardella chanted loudly over the harsh wind tearing at her flesh, covering her eyes with her arms, cuts oozing translucent blood. "Feel my will, seal the rip in time lest the world be ripped apart. Heavens, my command is thine will, by blood, by body and soul. Chronos commands it; seal the tear in time!"_

_Silence sharply fell over the room as the winds died down and Mardella collapsed to her knees, panting hard as she wearily glanced up at the still orb. The chaos had calmed, leaving a warm shimmering glow in the room. The cracks seemed to have filled back in, save for the tiniest speck of a chip precisely centered on the front. With a grunt, she pushed herself from the floor, briefly examining her bleeding appendages. The wounds would heal themselves later. Eyeing the glass warily, she placed a hand gently on the orb, feeling the heat radiating from its core. Images flashed through her mind at warp speed, showing the previous moments of pandemonium. Something dark zapped her hand away from the orb before vanishing, nearly an illusion if it weren't for the scorching heat running along her palm. _

_Slowly, anxiously, Mardella twisted her palm upwards to see the marking. The sinking feeling in her gut told her what it was, but she had to be absolutely sure. A strangled gasp left her mouth as she stared down at the marking, lightly tracing it with shaking fingers. _

_There, engraved into her flesh, was the mark of Asura. _

_No, it couldn't be right. Asura was still sealed within the moon and the madness Ametrine harnessed failed to be fully released. Was it possible a trace amount made its way into the rip in space when Ametrine's soul was taken? The probability of it was low, but not impossible. If another person were to open a rip in time and not seal it fast enough shut, then it was possible. If madness had in fact entered into the void between rips in space, then it could certainly travel freely and corrupt any timeline it reached if there was someone opening a portal for it to enter. There was one other person in the universe who had the capabilities to do so at will and she was well known for destructive and downright enormity tendencies to the witch. This wasn't good. _

"_Witch Mardella, are you unharmed? You were not in your study." A samurai appeared suddenly and kneeled outside of the room, guarded eyes searching for intruders. "There was a disturbance in the field, and I came to check."_

"_I am unharmed, Hiro, thank you. There was a mishap with the orb, nothing too serious." Mardella gave him a tired smile, noticing the way he glanced at the fresh wounds. "Please ensure nothing has breached the perimeter from the inside or out."_

"_Very well, I shall do a perimeter sweep before returning to my post. Do not hesitate to sound the alarm." Hiro stood and bowed before silently disappearing. _

_The two samurai who accompanied her everywhere were part of the exceedingly small group of people allowed to know her true identity. Flyorova, Viktor, Mabaa-dono, Maka, Soul, and presumably now Lord Death were the only other people fully aware of her true powers. Lord's throughout Edo Japan assumed she was just an immensely powerful witch who could predict time, some even calling her a demon. As long as they didn't discover her true power, they could call her whatever they wanted to. _

_A heavy sigh slipped through pursed lips as the witch surveyed the room for any more damage. It was specially coated to withstand nearly a full orb explosion, something Mardella was grateful she did as a precaution all those centuries ago. Sear marks engraved themselves into the wood floor, small embers still burning at the aged resource. The walls themselves were completely charred, having taken the full force of the blast. Those could all be fixed, she thought, there were more important matters to take care of. With another quick glance at her burnt palm, Mardella squared her shoulders and strode from the room, her normally calm demeanor now darkened._

_Plans that had been meticulously mapped to the very millisecond were now useless as the timelines for them had been corrupted. The consequences of such an atrocious and impetuous deed angered the witch with each step she took down the stairs, her burned palm clenched tightly at her side. Magic flared through her celestial robes, pulsing from her body in heavy waves. The drawer of her desk screeched as it was flung open by an invisible force, papers being sifted through hastily and without care. Nestled on the bottom of the drawer sat an iridescent origami of a butterfly, its wings fluttering lightly as it was carefully removed. _

"_Ananke, deity of Fate, hear my plea; guide this seeker to its rightful place in time. Protect it from those who wish harm upon the flow of space. Ensure a speedy journey to preserve the fate of time and space. Heavens above, hear my call to purge the evil from time and space. __**Divine Intervention**__."_

_Mardella gently blew on the butterfly, breathing life into the shimmering creature. With a shudder of its wings it lifted off, heading straight to the window. Without stopping, it phased through the glass, leaving behind a trail of celestial magic as it vanished into the time space continuum. Glancing down at her palm, the witch set her jaw before staring out into the starry night. She had done all she could from here. Intervening directly in the flow of time was taboo, regardless if she was merged with Father Time. It was dangerous to mess with Ananke and her powers of Fate, something the witch learned very quickly in the beginning as she tried to save a small animal from drowning in a river. The first offence was a slap on the wrist, considering the situation at the time, but any mishap after that was a sentence of fifty years in isolation. Considering this matter regarded the flow of time, she was confident the Goddess would make an exception and listen to her plea. Hopefully. Mardella lifted her head and prayed to the heavens above as dread filled her chest. _

_The rest was up to her._

* * *

"Maka, what do you think about this one?" Tsubaki held up a gorgeous summer yukata, cherry blossoms intricately weaving across the shimmering black fabric. "You would look beautiful in it!"

"I'm fine with anything, Tsubaki. They all look nice." Maka gave her a distracted smile before returning her gaze to the roped off streets below them.

"Does this have to do with this morning? You can't keep moping about this, Maka. You know Kid would never permanently remove you from meister duties. You and Soul are practically the highest-ranking duo in the school!" Liz planted her hands on her hips, staring down at the moping meister with knitted brows. "Kid is just worried about you pushing past your limits again. Everyone who was there is still struggling to come to terms with what happened; we're all just worried, Maka."

"Liz is right," Tsubaki spoke lightly as she sat next to Maka on the window seat. "None of us want to see you become injured again even if it _is_ just a simple mission. It's best to just keep things slow and let your body heal."

"Party time! Party time!" Patty chirped happily as she began tearing through the plethora of bags littering Tsubaki's apartment floor.

"Easy, Patty, the festival doesn't start until five. We still have about five hours until then."

"Why don't we walk around and see what stalls they're putting up this year? I heard there's going to be a Kakigori stall to promote a new business opening up in the square." Tsubaki grabbed Maka's hands and pulled the meister up before she could protest. "Fresh air will do you some good. Plus, we can do a little shopping before we have to get ready. The boys are busy helping Kid get everything set up as well, so we could swing by there."

"Kid will drive them both insane if he tries to make everything symmetrical. It would be funny to see Black Star snap and destroy everything." Liz tossed in, checking her nails.

"Do I really have to?" Maka groaned as she was dragged across the apartment, stumbling to keep up with the taller weapon.

"If you complain about it anymore, I'll let Patty draw giraffes all over your face." Liz snickered as the meister promptly closed her mouth, Patty cackling with glee at the idea.

After being dragged around Death City for hours and being forced into practically every clothing store there was, the group of women took a break by the Death fountain in the square with their hauls. Maka and Tsubaki nursing iced teas while the Thompson sisters enjoyed ice cream. They had briefly wandered by to see how the setup was going only to see Black Star blowing up an entire stand because Kid refused to admit it was symmetrical. Soul was leaning against a nearby tree, shaking his head at the stupidity of it all. Seeing him standing there in a black Death City tank top with his nicely toned arms and messy white locks pulled back into a small ponytail ignited the heat in Maka's core and she stopped, falling behind from the group to stare. Sensing his partner, Soul had turned his head slightly towards her, giving her a wink and a toothy grin. The meister quickly scurried out of sight to hide her inflamed face, cursing herself for not closing off the resonance while she ogled his body. Nearby shops soon began shutting down in preparation of the festival beginning, children running excitedly down the street.

"We should head back and get ready, the festival starts in less than an hour." Maka glanced at the thin silver watch adorning her left wrist. It was a gift from Soul last Christmas, one she only wore when they weren't on any missions to prevent it from being damaged. It was her most treasured possession.

"Alright. The boys know to meet us here in about an hour. It shouldn't take long to get dressed and do hair and makeup." Liz stood and stretched before grabbing her armful of bags, Patty snatching up the others.

"Makeup? I never liked the feeling of my face being caked." Maka grimaced as she grabbed her meager two small bags, nestling the handles in the crook of her arm. She had found Soul a watch with piano keys patterned in the center, the hands small musical notes. It wasn't a cheap item, having come from some foreign place according to the shop guy, but it was worth it to the meister.

"Maka, you have to wear makeup like, twice a year? You'll be fine, we don't have that much planned for you anyways."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Don't you want to look your best for Soul? We all know you were staring at him earlier."

The three girls tittered as Maka turned bright red, quickly snapping her attention to anything far off in the distance. She never used to blush this easily, not when it came to Soul. Things were different now, between them, a deeper connection than just weapon and meister. Maka could never fully understand the concept of love, having seen Papa completely ruin that for her, and even now it was still hard to wrap her head around it. It wasn't much different between her and Soul being partners for all these years connection wise. They started off rocky, her being head strong and in charge while he was arrogant and often lazy. But through thick and thin, they never failed to keep pushing forward, even when their lives depended on it, to become stronger than ever. Once he became a Death Scythe, a part of her feared he would become Lord Death's new weapon, leaving her partner and weaponless. A small flicker that surged into a roaring flame as younger meisters and weapons flooded him with love letters and partner requests. It was hard, watching those girls clamor over him, constantly pulling him aside to proclaim their love or request to be their partner. After a while of teasing Soul about being swarmed by a constant wave of hormones, the meister soon favored leaving the area as soon as they converged, a heavy weight nearly threatening to crush her lungs. Tears would threaten to spill over, but she always held them back until the safety of her bedroom. For the longest time Maka never understood what she was feeling, chalking it up to anxiety or stress. She had even resorted to locking away her feelings once Soul started prodding about the weird behavior.

Of course, the girls noticed and would try different tactics to pry it out of her to no avail. Blair, being intrusive as always, picked up on the distressed meisters' emotions and snuck into her room while Maka wasn't looking. Once discovered, the feline sat down and gently pried the heavily locked chest open. They had talked for a few hours, getting everything laid out so it could be organized more neatly. By the end, Maka felt like she could understand the emotions and how to handle them better than any book could suggest, even if it _was_ advice from a cat.

Maka felt her lips twitch at the memory of their first kiss, nearly two months ago now. She wasn't entirely sure what she was thinking, but as their moment in Russia had been ruined, it seemed the perfect timing to try. While he was sleeping. The meister grimaced at the thought. Was that too creepy? Kissing Soul while he was asleep? He wasn't truly asleep if he had closed the gap between them, taking advantage of the moment. Was it his plan all along? To trick her into kissing him?

"—ka"

How different would things be if they had kissed back in Russia? Would Soul have been there when Ametrine attacked the DWMA? If she had been defeated then, would Viktor still be alive? Together with Vika? Innopolis could still be standing, the villagers still safe in their homes. They wouldn't be getting dragged into another war, just five short years after the battle with Asura.

"Maka—"

What if—

"ALBARN!"

Maka jerked back hard as hands gripped her upper arms, roughly shaking her from her thoughts. Glancing around, she noticed they were back in the apartment. When did that happen?

"What—oh, sorry, I didn't realize I had spaced out." The meister smiled sheepishly at Liz. The weapon gave her one more good shake for measure.

"Seriously, we've been trying to get your attention for like, ten minutes now. You need to get dressed so I can do makeup and Tsubaki can do your hair. Now quit spacing and go! We're going to be late meeting the guys."

A bag was thrown none too lightly at the petite woman before she was shoved into the bathroom, the door slamming behind her. Peeking into the bag, Maka noticed a cherry blossom patterned fabric folded neatly in the bottom. Tsubaki had given her the yukata from earlier. Quickly flinging her clothes off, she carefully pulled the soft fabric out, holding it against her chest as she eyed it in the mirror. It looked beautiful with its soft, yet vibrant coloring, silver and gold thread weaving around the petals. The material was noticeably light, good for sweltering D.C. summer days. An annoyed shout from the other room startled her and she quickly pulled on the barely solid colored slip before easing each arm into the sleeves, careful not to snag any loose threads. Grasping the front together, Maka took a quick glance at herself as the door flung open.

"Maka, you look amazing in that! I knew it was a good choice!" Tsubaki praised as Liz tossed the poor girl into a chair. "Soul is going to be speechless when he sees you!"

"Less talking, more beautifying, Tsubaki!" Liz grumbled around the lip gloss tube clenched between her teeth. "If missy here hadn't been zoning out—stop twitching—then we wouldn't have to be rushing. Patty, sandals?"

"Roger!" Patty chirped as she kneeled in front of Maka, yanking her foot up as she slipped tabi socks on. Wooden sandals were thrusted on next. The toe separation felt unusual and the meister wiggled her digits experimentally.

Tsubaki quickly set to her hair, brushing out sandy locks before heating and twisting them into tight curls and pinning them into a bun. Maka winced as bobby pins scraped her scalp, one after another, to hold the massive bundle of curls together. Liz was applying eyeshadow, taking a step back to admire her work every now and then. Patty danced around in her yellow and brown flowered yukata, making faces at herself in a mirror and practicing her punches. Somehow it reminded the meister of a giraffe. A cloud of hairspray rained over her and she coughed at the irritant.

"Maka, stand in front of the mirror so I can attach your obi, please." Tsubaki gave her bun a final positional pat before reaching for a thick cream-colored piece of fabric.

"Please tell me this torture is almost over," Maka grunted as the belt was tightened around her waist. Beauty was pain after all…

"Almost. Just this and…done!" Tsubaki clasped her hands together and nodded approvingly.

"Damn, Maka, when'd you get so hot?" Liz whistled as she and Patty joined in on the staring. "You're gonna give Soul a nosebleed! Or send the blood elsewhere. Good thing I've got my camera on me."

"As if this isn't embarrassing enough. I'd rather stick to battle ready clothing." Maka flushed as she took in her new look.

It was like looking at a model, something that made the meister oddly happy. There was just enough makeup to give her some color, but not overwhelming enough to worry about. The light coral colored lip-gloss paired well with her eyes and she briefly wondered if Soul would like it. She could hardly believe it was her own reflection as she carefully twisted about, viewing the yukata from all sides. It was lightweight and flowy, though the belt kept her midsection fairly rigid. It seemed to still be a bit long, most likely because Tsubaki owned it, and the fabric grazed the top of her feet. A small bag was thrust into her hands and she examined that as well, noticing the small orange, white, and black koi stitched into the center of the light cream silk.

"I'm sure everything will be fine. There hasn't been any sightings of madness lately. Relax, Maka, take some time for yourself for once." Liz reassured as she grabbed a floral hair piece, clipping it above her ear. Maka touched the pink flower curiously. "Now let's go, I wanna see some nose bleeds!"

"Let's go! Party time!"

* * *

"Dude, I'm getting hungry! Where the hell are the girls?" Black Star grumbled as he impatiently tapped his foot against the cobblestone. "We're going to miss out on the games too!"

"Chill, Black Star, they're probably not too far from here." Soul rolled his eyes. "Besides, what's the rush? No missions, no madness, no witches."

"Obviously, I have to get the best spot for the fireworks after winning all of the stall games! No one is greater than me!"

"Do you _have_ to ruin tonight by tearing up the game stalls? You already destroyed one earlier, at least give some of the town the chance to win." Kid sighed heavily, hands shoved deep into his pant pockets.

"Do you expect anything different from him?"

They turned to see the group of girls approaching, wooden sandals clacking loudly against the stones. Tsubaki's yukata was midnight blue with orange and white koi fish swimming across the fabric, almost realistically with her fluid movements, and a light-yellow obi. Liz showed off her blue and white checkerboard styled attire with orange starburst patterns and a gray obi. Patty, unsurprisingly, had a checkered yellow and brown themed yukata with just a thin black fabric belt. The likeness to the weapons favorite animal didn't go unnoticed.

"Damn, all dressed up for us? Should've worn something more formal," Soul teased as Black Star froze up at the sight of Tsubaki, jaw hitting the ground. Kid was grumbling about the lack of symmetry between his weapons. "Where's Maka?"

"Oh, she was with us a minute ago—"

"Do you…_know_…how hard it is to walk in these things!?"

Maka stumbled around the corner towards them, cursing at the sandals that were causing her grief. The socks didn't help either, sliding all over the wooden surface of the shoes as she walked. Tsubaki hurried over to help the meister, apologizing for the lack of steady shoes and a shorter yukata. Once the two rejoined the group, Liz whispered something to Patty who smiled deviously before slinking out of sight.

"Are you sure you're okay, Maka? We can try to pin the bottom up some more." Tsubaki crouched down to tug at the fabric, thinking of ways to shorten it. "I'm sure we can also find you a different pair of shoes."

"It's fine, Tsubaki, this will all be over in a few hours. I can manage it until then." Maka shifted the pouch nervously in her hands, afraid to look up at the certain pair of eyes watching her. "Go ahead, I don't want to hold you guys back anymore."

"That's good enough for me! C'mon, Baki, we've got games to win!" Black Star grabbed his partner's hand before weaving through the throng of people, shouting for them to get out of his way.

"I have to make the opening speech, so I'll be leaving as well." Kid gave a short wave before merging into the crowd. "I'll meet up with you later."

Maka felt her face heat up as it was practically just her and Soul left, wide eyes looking at her feet intensely. It felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest from nerves, the small pouch shaking in her hands. His emotions were neutral as he stood there, examining her; she knew he wanted to say something but was giving her time to collect herself. With a deep breath, the meister closed her eyes as she stood upright, preparing to look at him. Now or never. Just as she cracked her eyes, something shoved hard against her back and she felt her body begin to fall forward. Her eyes went wide as she stumbled to catch herself, though the long fabric of the yukata said otherwise as it caught under her foot. Bracing for impact, Maka was thrown off guard when something grabbed her left wrist, catching her from faceplanting into the ground. Jerking her head up, Soul looked at her with a bemused smile as he reached for her other hand to support her.

"Are you falling for me, Miss Albarn?"

"D-did you just—"

"Make that terrible joke? Yes. Did it work?" Soul gave her a genuine smile as her face heated up, his own face tinted as well.

"I-I…was this all part of your plan, Soul?" Maka sputtered as she straightened up, though she didn't attempt to pull away.

"That would be _our_ plan, Maka. I caught the perfect reaction on camera!" Liz crowed as she danced around with a camera in hand. "I am _so_ making plenty of copies of this! I'll mail you a few, gotta go, bye!" The Thompson sisters booked it into the festival entrance before Maka could stumble after them with a vengeance.

"I noticed Patty slink away, but I had no clue what they were planning." Soul raised his hands in defense at the withering look Maka was giving him. "I'm just here to escort a beautiful lady to the festival."

Maka was about to faint if her face got any hotter. That was the first time he had called her beautiful out loud. Soul chuckled at the color of her face, earning a sharp glare from his meister. With a smile still on his lips, he raised her hand up and kissed the back of it, never breaking eye contact. The sputtering spoke of his success in getting an adorable reaction.

"Look, it's Soul-senpai! He looks so cool and handsome in his leather jacket!" A first year shrilled from somewhere behind Maka, others loudly voicing their agreements. "Let's go talk to him!"

"Whoops, time to go." Soul gently pulled Maka behind him into the hordes of citizens eager to enjoy the festival. "They're like damn bloodhounds; everywhere I go they're following."

"Must be the leather jacket's charm," Maka teased lightly as they weaved between bodies, the shrill voices nearly drowned out. "They _did_ mention you looking cool _in_ the jacket."

"Maka, are you insinuating it's the _jacket_ and not me that has the charm? Ouch," Soul feigned hurt, pressing his free hand against his chest. "And here I thought it was my outgoing personality and perfect looks."

Maka snorted in response, shaking her head. He could be such a goofball when it was just the two of them together. Of course, he had his façade on when around their friends, but when it was just them, he would relax and open up more, show her a side she yearned to know. The crowd finally parted as the stalls separated into two separate aisles, allowing more moving space, and they slowed to a stop.

"I think they're gone now. What do you want to do first? Foods that way and games are that way. 'Course, Kid is going to give his speech here shortly if you wanted to listen to him drone on and on." Soul shifted to face Maka, slowly taking in her appearance.

She was beautiful before ever putting makeup on and now she looked breathtakingly _gorgeous_. The black yukata suited her well, a sharp contrast with her pale skin and bright eyes, and even accentuated her curves with the belt. Her hair pinned back up drew even more attention to her flushed face, framed lightly by her bangs. The light coral color of her lips had the weapon resisting to kiss her right then and there. A stray curled hair had escaped from its binding and with deft fingers, Soul tucked it behind her ear.

"I-I'm fine with anything. I'll leave it up to you," Maka stuttered as the heat crept up once more. Wait, was this a date? Like, a _date date_?

"Your wish is my command," It was cruel to keep pushing for a reaction out of his meister, but she was just so damned _adorable_ when she blushed.

They strolled together down the aisles, hands intertwined, browsing through the food choices and game stalls. A few times they had to duck between stalls to lose the horde of hormones, Soul pulling Maka flush against him in the tight spaces. She could feel his heart beating steadily in his chest, the rhythm soothing her twitching nerves. Sure, they had done stuff together all the time; going to the bookstore, groceries, movies, even appointments together. But being out at a public event, dressed up and just having a good time, felt so _different_ than before. They were more than partners, at least she thought and hoped they were, after everything that had happened over the past few months. There were no official titles thrown around, just more…intimacy, of sorts. Nothing further had happened that night when both of their emotions were running high, but there were subtle things like intertwining fingers, sitting closer together, even the random kiss now and then. Things were still normal at home and school for the most part. Soul still got Maka-Chopped occasionally and the two argued over the littlest things like who burnt dinner again. So why did it feel so different but not at the same time?

"The fireworks should be starting soon, is there anything else you want to do before then?" Soul grunted from his spot next to her on one of the benches pushed back from the main aisles, stretching his arms behind his head. Corn dogs and popcorn had been the weapons dinner while Maka had gone for the more modest, and healthy, smoothie from a new local business.

"Hmm, I think we've seen everything around here and Black Star has destroyed nearly all of the game stalls." Maka shook her head at seeing the destroyed stalls everywhere. "I don't think I can walk in these shoes anymore though, my feet are killing me."

"You didn't bring any other shoes with you?" Soul frowned.

"No, they wouldn't have fit in my bag anyways." She dangled the tiny money filled bag in the air. "Besides, I can handle a bit more pain until the festival ends. I've already had to deal with walking around with limited movement because of this thing. I'm just not used to…dressing up like this, I guess. I'm so used to freely moving clothing that this all feels foreign."

"You should dress up more often, it suits you well." Soul muttered as heat crept up the back of his neck and to his ears. "Your other clothes are nice as well, but it's…you are…_you look stunning in that_." He blurted out before covering his mouth with his hand, face fully red as he looked down, finding a sudden interest in the dirt beneath his feet.

"O-oh, t-thank you." Maka stuttered as she heated up as well, also nervously looking for something to stare at. "I-I wasn't sure if you would like it or not…"

"Of course! I mean, I love seeing you in it and stuff…it's not something I get to see often." Smooth, Evans, smooth.

"Doesn't the black room dress count?"

"There's a difference between clothing like that and stuff like this," Soul leaned back against the bench, eyes drifting to look at the darkening sky above. "The black room is meant more for synchronizing with the black blood; there's no control over apparel in there. But you have full control of what you wear out here."

"Mmm." Maka just went silent after that, nervously fiddling with the pouch resting on her lap.

It was silent for a few more minutes, the two sitting together watching the crowds shuffle through. The sun was beginning to dip low in the sky, the darkened moon slowly rising to take its place.

It still creeped him out, honestly, knowing that the Kishin was hibernating within its depths, Chrona keeping a tight lock on the overwhelming madness. Soul often wondered what would happen if the seal broke loose and madness spewed over the world. They already had that close call in Russia thanks to Ametrine. A scowl adorned his face. The situation didn't settle right with him. That battle shouldn't have ended so easily; Viktor lost his life, madness began seeping into the world, Maka _died_. He still had nightmares about that night, watching as the life left her eyes before she hit the snow. Screaming, begging her to wake up as the battle around them raged on. The sensation of their resonance snapping still burned deep within his soul. Subconsciously he rubbed at his chest, a feeble attempt to soothe the searing ghost pain.

"Soul? Are you alright?"

Soul blinked and looked up to see Maka leaning over in front of him, hands gently cupping his face. Big green eyes filled with concern as they searched his, looking into his soul.

"Eh?"

"Your chest, is it hurting again?"

Oh. He was so lost in his thoughts that he forgot they were resonating. It was difficult to tell the difference between them anymore.

"Yeah, sorry, kinda dazed for a bit. M'alright."

"Soul, we can leave—"

"No, I'm fine, really," Soul gently took her hand, kissing the palm. "Just the madness reacting to the new moon. It'll go away in a bit."

Maka could feel the full force of the pain flowing from his soul and winced. Ever since the battle on the moon, whenever the new moon waned, the black blood would react more violently. He hid it well the first week or so, but on a night paired with a nightmare, the pure terrified screams coming from down the hall sent the meister leaping from bed and down the hallway faster than she'd ever moved. Soul was flailing, tangled in his covers as he grabbed at his chest in pure agony, screaming at the top of his lungs. Calling his name did nothing and the meister ripped the covers from his body and threw them onto the floor. With fast reflexes she caught his left arm and pinned it against her chest, quickly working to interlock their hands. It had worked after Chrona sliced him open, in the infirmary, giving him a ground back to reality. Minutes agonizingly crawled by before teary red eyes shot open, darting around the room before resting on his terrified meister beside him. Without a word, Maka crawled into bed next to him, holding him tightly against her chest as they both tried to calm down.

Since then, when either one of them experienced a nightmare, the other would wake them up before scooting into bed, providing a comfort no other person could. It went on for months at intermittent intervals until they eventually began to die down, everything somewhat returning to normal.

"Come on," Soul spoke quietly, "Let's go before we miss the fireworks."

"Alright." Maka silently grumbled about having to wear the damned shoes even longer, her feet already sore and blistering.

As soon as she took a step forward, her body left the ground with a swift movement and was pulled tight against something warm. Maka looked up in surprise, heart skipping a beat as Soul gave her a small grin in response. The nervousness plaguing her soul melted away as Soul carried her bridal style down the empty side streets, heading towards the wooded area just up the hill. A cool wind had picked up as the sun finally fell beneath the horizon, the desert night in full swing. The meister suppressed a shiver.

The clearing came into view and Maka sucked in a breath of awe. While the moon nearly blended into the dark sky, the stars were blinding in contrast, twinkling brightly lightyears away. Soul set her down on the brick wall, standing behind her to block the wind. Carefully swinging her legs over the walls brick edge, she leaned back into her partner to look up at the stars.

"It's beautiful," Maka whispered, eyes marking out all of the visible constellations. "I never noticed the stars before, how vibrant they are."

"Figured you'd like it." Soul wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "No one else considered coming up here to watch the fireworks since Kid marked off an area for everyone."

"Let me guess; symmetrical?" Soul grimaced into her neck, earning a giggle.

"Do you have any idea how long it took to do that today? Over an _hour_, Maka, just to get the lines completely straight. Black Star was about to destroy the whole damn thing too if Kid didn't agree with it."

"Perks of being a Death Scythe, getting to be bossed around by your employer all day for the greater good of symmetry."

"I already have to deal with it at home, too, don't I get a break?" Soul grumbled as he settled next to her, leaning against the bricks to look at her.

"I don't boss you around _that _much—"

"Make my bed, pick up my dirty clothes off the floor, clean up the dishes, stop leaving my underwear everywhere—" He counted off on his fingers, giving Maka a deadpanned look.

"Hey! Those are all very reasonable demands—"

"Buy the groceries, carry your books, training, more training, schoolwork, Death Scythe duties," Maka was biting her tongue, holding back the laughter. "Fend off the savage horde of hormones chasing me, which you _insulted me for_, by the way; carrying you up a hill because I'm the best damn partner there ever was, and I brought you to the most secluded area in the city so you could see the stars and fireworks. Yet here you are _complaining—_"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Maka burst out laughing, holding her sides as she tried to breathe. "I'll try not to be so bossy next time!"

A pop filled the air and a ball of sparks shot into the sky before bursting, scattering into a flower pattern before dying out. More fired off, filling the skies with bright patterns and designs. Maka felt relaxed for the first time in a long time, enjoying the show with the man she loved more than anything else. It had finally dawned on her, after that night's events, what being in love _truly_ meant; being happy no matter what they were doing. Caring for each other. Being themselves _together_. Whether it was constantly running from freshmen girls, playing ball toss games only to end up 'accidentally' throwing one at Ox who laughed at her when she missed, laughing at Soul when his corndog turned out to be mostly batter. It was all the little things she never noticed until now, under the open night sky, with him by her side.

Maka shifted to look up at him, adoration swimming in her emerald orbs. There would be no more doubts, hesitations, fear. Lifting her hand to his face, she lightly caressed his cheek, lithe fingers tracing down his jaw. Her partner, weapon, best friend…_lover_.

"Soul,"

"Maka," Soul covered her hand with his own, leaning into the touch.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Just as their lips melded together, a powerful explosion shook the air, sending them jerking back in surprise. Panicked screams filled the air as another explosion triggered, chunks of wood blasting into the air. With a silent look, Soul transformed as Maka swung her legs back over the wall, ditching the shoes in the process. Catching the scythe swiftly, the meister began running through the trees, pulling at the obi with vigor as the explosions increased. Soul Perception tingled in the back of her mind and she narrowly avoided a magical blast, a nearby tree taking the hit.

"My, my, so _sorry_ to interrupt your little date,"

"Show yourself!" Maka shouted as she slid to a defensive posture. The yukata made it difficult to move easily. She stilled as the wavelength felt familiar. _This soul… _

"Judging from the look on your face, I'm guessing you figured it out." The voice cooed from somewhere within the trees.

"_Ametrine…" _Soul's face appeared in the blade, eyes glaring dangerously. _"Didn't learn the first time, did you?" _

A tinkling laugh echoed around the meister, the source untraceable. "As welcoming as always, Soul."

"What is it you want? Revenge? To finish off the job because you failed the first time?" Maka's perception narrowed in on the source high up in the treetops. Witch Hunter could reach her, but it would destroy half the forest. She couldn't be reckless here. Not so close to such a large panicking crowd.

"Oh, nothing of the sorts, really," Ametrine sounded bored, the leaves shaking violently above them as though she were moving through them. "I'm merely here for some entertainment. I hardly have the power needed to take you down."

A shadow suddenly dropped from above and Maka swung with all of her strength. It seemed like a direct hit with the blade. No evidence of what she struck remained, sending the meister into higher alert. She could have sworn there was _something there…_no, _wait_, it wasn't, it was—

"Don't you realize, Maka? I can't be hit if my soul isn't in the body you attack." Ametrine's voice bragged from above. "For such a high ranking meister one would think you would know of that by now. Unfortunately for you, I have _assistance_ this time."

"_What?!" _Soul snarled.

"_Time to_ _play_, _Maka Albarn_!" A second voice hissed from behind the meister.

Maka swung around and came face to face with a witch, her grin crooked as piercing deep blue eyes locked into green. Pressure erupted into the meisters abdomen and she felt the air rush from her lungs in surprise. Looking down, a small jagged and elongated dagger protruded from her stomach, black blood dripping freely onto the grass.

"_Maka!" _Soul yelled as he began transforming back.

"_Don't!_ Don't you dare!" Maka grit her teeth as she tasted metal. "Whatever you do, don't change back! It's what they want."

"_You'll die—!" _

"I won't. Not as long as you stay by my side and fight with me." Maka coughed, blood dripping down her chin. "Resonate."

"_It'll—!" _

"Soul!"

"Lovers quarrel? How cute," A second shadow dropped down from the trees, landing behind the crazed witch. "We already know what will happen if you resonate, Maka, because you're standing in front of the witch who _created_ the curse placed upon you."

"The curse…?" Maka whispered. The curse that had killed her…_she_ did it?

"Ancient Witch Esadora, at your service, Maka Albarn." Esadora curtseyed hastily, laughter bubbling up in her throat. "You are just in time to play a little game with me!"

Maka glared at the two witches, attempting to keep her breathing even. Fire was burning through every vein in her body, electrifying the entire network of nerves, making it difficult to even stand. Was the blade laced with something? She had to warn Kid and the others. Slowly, she expanded her Soul Perception, weaving through the hundreds of Death City residents, searching for the familiar souls in the area. To the untrained eye, it appeared the meister was just standing there with an intensely focused look in her eyes.

**There!** They were managing crowd control, directing people out of the area and to shelter. A dull throb pierced her soul as she reached out to Kid, connecting with his soul.

"Auh, uh," Ametrine purred as she moved towards the meister, Esadora gliding out of the way as she yanked the blade from Maka's body. "No calling for backup this time." Faster than she could process, Maka flew backwards through the air before colliding with the ground, rolling until her back hit a tree trunk.

"_Maka! Get up!" _Soul screamed at her barely moving form, eyes darting between the witches and her. _"You have to get up, now!"_

The connection severed after a few seconds, leaving the scythe meister groaning in agony face down in the dirt. She couldn't fight back, not with a gaping wound in her stomach and a quivering soul wavelength. Her body laid paralyzed in the dirt, nerves and muscle spasming uncontrollably. They were going to be killed, that she was certain of as she cracked her eyes open, watching as the world spun around her violently. Maybe Soul could still escape…

"If you're…going to kill me…then _do it_." Maka spat weakly, chest heaving as she struggled to breathe. "Leave…Death City… alone…it's me you want."

Ametrine sauntered over to the girl, heels digging into the dirt as she crouched down. Her figure was more of a young teenager's than a fully grown adult. A shorter version of her black dress fell just past her knees, a much simpler version of the usual apparel. Thick red braided locks swung freely down to her waist. No hat adorned her head this time, most likely due to it being destroyed in Russia. With a small hand, the witch grabbed Maka by the hair and pulled her head up to face her.

"That would be too easy! Instead, Witch Esadora has kindly agreed to send you somewhere _fun_." Ametrine released her grip, smiling manically as an audible thunk was heard.

A bright light filled the area and Ametrine stumbled backward as a blade connected with her neck. Blood flew into the air as the witch was decapitated, her head rolling away while her body twitched lifelessly on the ground, blood gushing from the neck. Soul stood in front of Maka, arms bladed and covered in blood. Pure anger contorted his face into a menacing snarl, red eyes narrowed dangerously at Esadora.

"_I won't let you kill Maka," _Soul snarled as he kept his distance from the newcomer. _"Come any closer and I'll kill you too."_

Esadora blinked before standing upright, releasing the dagger. She seemed to be studying the blades protruding from his body, interest gleaming in her eyes. It didn't seem like she wanted to fight, but nothing gave away what she genuinely wanted.

"I am not here to fight," She said after a few tense moments. "I am not _that_ stupid. I may be an old witch, but I still have common sense unlike that pile of trash beneath your feet. I know what a Death Scythe is capable of."

"Then _leave_," Soul growled, widening his stance to better cover the downed meister. "Use your damn common sense and just _go_. Lord Death has been alerted to your presence here and will be here soon. Other Death Scythes will be converging here as well." Esadora briefly chewed on her lip, seemingly calculating the risk of staying.

"Unfortunately, I am unable to leave just _yet._ The experiment has already begun, and I am afraid I need to make sure the portal works correctly."

"Portal?" Soul had a sinking feeling and glanced over his shoulder. _Oh no._

The ground beneath Maka had begun to turn black, swirling and churning like stormy waters. Tendrils of the darkness writhed around the meister, latching onto her body. Soul abandoned the blade on his left arm and hastily sliced at the tendrils only to discover they grew back immediately. Maka's body began to rapidly sink into the ground and into the unknown depths.

"Maka, you need to move! Fight it!" Soul begged as he tried to pull her from the darkness' grasp. "Fight, damnit! You can't give up this easily!"

Maka blearily looked up at him, an image of fuzzy red and white moving around rapidly. It looked pretty, as it moved about, almost like a flower swaying in the wind. A bright light above her shone brightly as it grew closer and closer and she feebly attempted to reach for it, her arm unwilling to move.

'_Wings,' _She thought as her vision shifted, everything around her becoming clear and warm. _'Such a pretty butterfly.'_

Soul felt warmth rush over him as a small iridescent butterfly fluttered gently towards Maka, magic sprinkling over the motionless meister. It seemed to hover for a moment before its wings rapidly enlarged and encased them both in a protective shield. Esadora let out a nearly feral growl as she blasted magic at the barrier in an attempt to break it. The spells bounced off harmlessly.

"Damn you, Mardella!" The witch snarled, grabbing the knife with trembling hands. "You have no place in this world! Begone, back to your own space of time!"

With a flick of her wrist, the knife went hurtling towards the shimmering shield. Seconds before impact, the shield suddenly sunk into the ground, taking both Soul and Maka into the unknown. The blade lodged itself into the tree trunk, missing its target. Esadora panted as she stood up, eyeing the spot where the portal had opened. It seemed the both of them were transported into the alternate reality, something the witch hadn't planned on. Only Maka Albarn was supposed to fall through and eventually succumb to the madness overflowing from the lands. Now that her partner, a Death Scythe no less, was trapped in there with her, they could escape at some point. Chewing on her nail angrily, the witch stared down at the lifeless body of Ametrine. Stomping over to the body, Esadora crouched down and held her hand over the chest cavity, muttering under her breath. A blue glow began to seep through the black dress as it emerged free of its container.

"Your impudence has ruined my plans," The witch hissed at Ametrine's wriggling soul. "This betrayal will not go unpunished."

Ametrine said nothing, remaining quiet as Esadora tore a rip in time before stepping through. She couldn't hold back the urge to punch the meister, bloodlust still circling within her soul. Next time, the soul twitched angrily, next time Maka Albarn would be dead. A flash of red mixed with the ghostly blue of her soul briefly before vanishing.

If she survived being turned into a frog and eaten alive, that was.

* * *

**Sorry for the delays, been swamped with work for the past few months. Things should move a bit faster now that I have some time and motivation again. The story continues! I haven't figured out when to stop, so it'll just keep going until I run out of ideas. **


	20. Hell on Earth

**Let's continue onward! **

* * *

Kid had just signaled for the fireworks finale to launch when it happened. A massive explosion shook the grounds, sending people into an immediate panicked frenzy, pushing over one another to escape. Black Star had disappeared from nearby, most likely in search of the culprit responsible for the attack. A handful of teachers were ushering people to safety further into the city limits while meisters and weapons rushed in to help.

"Something isn't right here, Lord Death," Stein appeared beside the Reaper, Spirit ready in scythe form. "I'm not sensing any soul wavelengths near the explosions. Someone must have set the bombs and activated them from a distance."

"Stein, I want you to check out the bomb location—" Kid stopped short as another explosion went off, shattering a nearby game booth to shreds. "Find another team and send them to investigate the second site, you and Spirit will look into the first one."

Kid felt a twitch in his soul and froze up, suddenly jerking his head towards the forested area opposite of the festival. It was brief, but he was positive Maka was trying to relay something through resonance. It almost seemed like…_a warning_. His eyes narrowed in concentration, a brief soul wavelength flashing and then vanishing. He expanded his Soul Perception to locate Black Star, connecting instantly once he locked onto the energized soul wavelength.

'_Black Star— meet me at the forest immediately. Maka resonated with me but the connection was suddenly cut short. I think she's in danger.' _Kid could feel the sudden wave of anger rushing through the connection, the Reaper almost jerking back at the force.

'_Unknown target seen escaping to the West, I'll kick Ox and Kilik to it. On my way.' _

Kid grit his teeth as he motioned for Liz and Patty, the weapons immediately transforming. With a nod to Stein, he took off, propelling himself as fast as he could. A sudden attack on Death City meant the letter The Witch of The Eternal Time sent was coming true and that this was only the beginning. Maka had always been a target for her exceptional Soul Perception and anti-demon wavelength, even more so now that Ametrine had attempted once before to strike her down. What she had been so worked up about, so worried about these past weeks, if Kid had just _listened_. The wall encasing the small woods came into view, immaculate black shoes landing perfectly balanced on the weathered stones. A shadow landed silently beside him.

"I don't hear anything, Kid," The ninja spoke barely above a whisper. "I think…there's something on the ground, just ahead a ways."

"Move carefully, it could be a trap." Black Star nodded before vanishing into the woods. A minute ticked by before any noise was heard, raising the hair on the back of Kid's neck at his friends call.

"Kid, we got a body in here."

Sprinting through the trees, the Reaper noticed the ninja crouching next to an object, a look of disgust on his face. It wasn't until he moved closer that he realized the body was missing an import feature.

"The head is gone? Where could it have gone?" Kid muttered as he crouched opposite of Star. The head had been severed clean off, the work of someone with blade experience. "It's probably around here somewhere."

"You said Maka was over here? Think Soul did this?"

"It's possible, but until we find them both, we won't know for sure. Soul doesn't seem like the kind to aim for a lethal hit, but if the situation was bad enough then he would, especially if Maka was in trouble. Nothing else in the area?"

"Some scorch marks by the base of that tree right there. Magic is my guess." Kid glanced over to where Black Star nodded. "Another blast just opposite of that, head level roughly. My guess is they were ambushed on the way out after the explosions started. Doesn't this body look familiar?"

Kid narrowed his eyes as he studied the corpse, scanning over the clothing carefully. A hint of red caught his attention and he motioned for the ninja. With a nod, they both grabbed one side of the body before lifting it and setting down a few feet away. Two braids of bold red hair were flattened to the ground, soaked in blood.

"_Ametrine…" _Tsubaki gasped as Black Star grabbed a stick to poke at the strands. _"But…her body was destroyed back in Russia, so how can she be here?"_

"She _wasn't_ destroyed in Russia," Kid said darkly. "Her soul wasn't in her body when she was destroyed. Someone disrupted the flow of time and removed her soul and a portion of Asura's madness. We're dealing with an immensely powerful being who has the capabilities to alter time. This is becoming a serious issue. Priority is ensuring the safety of Soul and Maka. Maka's soul wavelength came from this area, that I'm sure of. I can't even sense it now—"

'_It is because they are no longer in this timeline, Lord Death.' _

A ghost-like figure emerged from the depths of the woods, gliding effortlessly above the grass. A woman, Kid thought as he watched her stop a few feet from them, her robes billowing from the movement. It was hard to tell how she truly looked as the transparency of her body gave barely anything above basic outlines away. An iridescent butterfly fluttered over to her raised finger, landing gently before disappearing with a _puff_. Black Star readied his sword while Kid stiffened before relaxing his stance, loosening his grip on the pistols as he studied the person in front of them.

"Where the hell did they go?" Snarled Black Star, ready to unleash his full fury upon the unknown person. "What did you do to them?"

"Black Star, enough." Kid barked without looking. "She is not our enemy." The figure gave a small smile.

'_My name is Mardella Sipheron, though I may also go by the Witch of the Eternal Time." _Mardella's figure bowed slightly, her hands moving to rest at her front. _'Soul and Maka are no longer in this timeline of reality, though, not by my doing.' _

"No longer in this timeline…?" Kid muttered to himself in disbelief. "Does…this have to do with that entity Maka was talking about?"

Mardella nodded tightly, lips pursed together. _'Yes. A powerful ancient witch by the name of Esadora. She is the only other witch in the universe to have some control over time and space, much like myself. Many centuries ago, we had engaged in a disastrous battle, one that would prove to be the beginnings of her time disruptions. Her trickery caused a lapse in my defenses and she collected some of my blood.' _

"What's so special about your blood?" Tsubaki asked curiously as she transformed back. Black Star shifted slightly in front of her.

'_Being merged with Father Time, my blood contains the power to control and manipulate time and space itself. If someone were to get ahold of it…'_

"They could gain some of the power within it." Kid finished. "Which could be _extremely_ dangerous in the wrong hands." Mardella nodded solemnly.

'_Esadora comes from an immensely powerful lineage of witches, as does Mabaa-dono. Their family specializes in Spatial Magic, a rare, but powerful form of time manipulation. Mabaa has chosen to stay on the path of righteous usage of the powers while Esadora has chosen to stray, leading into dangerous territory.'_

"They're related?" Black Star asked incredulously. "What the fuck is this, a family reunion for everyone?"

"Don't be disrespectful!" His weapon hissed, jabbing him in the ribs. "I'm sorry, please continue."

'_Such an eccentric soul, even when you were young.' _Mardella smiled fondly at the meister. _'Esadora managed to collect my blood and with her lineage, was able to create a potion she could drink to gain some of my powers. Since it was a miniscule amount there are limitations to what she can control. For example, I can control all of time and space, tearing multiple pockets in different planes of reality and entering them. Esadora can control only one at a time, though it takes a tremendous amount of magic for her to do so, even with my blood and her reserves. She would need another witches' power in order to open more timelines.'_

"So, it's possible to Maka and Soul were transported to another reality?" Kid asked slowly, not liking where this was going. "Ametrine…she took her soul, didn't she? How do we get them back?

Mardella frowned deeply and looked at the ground, causing everyone to tense up.

'_I am afraid…you are unable to.' _The witch said slowly, feeling their gazes burning into her. _'From this timeline, this reality, you cannot access the realm they have fallen into.'_

"How can we save them then? There _has_ to be a way!" Kid flung his arms out, exasperated, desperate. "For all we know, they could be killed there! Witch Mardella, I _implore—_"

'_Lord Death, I __**cannot**__ control something that has been severely corrupted by madness.' _Mardella locked eyes with the Reaper, overwhelming distress filling her eyes. _'If I were to try and access that timeline, the possibility of unending madness escaping and corrupting this realm would be exorbitant. I may have the full powers of Chronos within my body and the magic of a powerful witch, but I __**cannot**__ willingly open a tear in space where Asura resides.'_

The group stiffened at the name, a chill sliding down their spines. Tsubaki covered her mouth in horror, Black Star cursed. Liz cowered behind Patty. Kid stood silent, eyes wide as he stared at the iridescent figure before him, brain failing to comprehend the situation. Asura…had escaped? No, he was still sealed on the moon, that he was certain of. An alternate reality full of madness…it shouldn't even be _possible_. But Mardella wasn't one to lie as far as he could tell, so…what was _really_ going on?

'_Lord Death, my magic is nearing its limit in this form,' _Kid snapped out of his daze, watching as Mardella's form began to waver. _'The box given to Maka, open it and you will be directed to the location of Esadora. Be warned; the world you know now has already begun to shift. Prepare yourselves.' _

With that, she was gone.

* * *

Maka Albarn was never one to run from a battle, yet here she was sprinting for her life in a torn yukata and socks with wild hair, dirt smeared across her face, as creatures of madness hunted her down with saliva flying from their gnarled jaws. There were at least a handful of the monstrous creatures thundering after her, hellish screams echoing in the air. The last thing she could remember was a warm sensation and a butterfly before she plunged into the darkness, awakening on the ground with strange howls surrounding her. Soul had been separated at some point so the meister ran for her life weaponless. Ducking under a branch, her chest heaved as she tried to lose the creatures in a thicket of dead trees, taking advantage of the narrow spacing between trunks. A snarl not far behind sent her heart into her throat as she pushed herself faster, aiming for a gap between two trees. A hidden mud patch caught her foot and twisted her ankle, sending her tumbling to the ground, just feet from escape. Scrambling, Maka attempted to crawl away, the sharp pain in her ankle preventing her from moving any faster.

A large black paw suddenly slammed down on her leg, the meister screaming out in pain as it pressed its full weight against the extremity.

"Get off of me!" Maka yelled as she tried kicking at the massive creature, grabbing anything around her she could to throw at it. "Let me go!"

The creature lowered its head to look at her, jaws opening wide as it prepared to feast. Maka stared at it with petrified eyes, tears spilling down her cheeks as she prepared to meet her end. A high-pitched whistling alerted the creature and it stopped, whipping its head to the side just as an arrow pierced it, killing it instantly. The pinned leg was freed and the meister wasted no time in scrambling for the exit, clawing at the rough dirt to pull herself to safety. More whistles filled the air, the sound of arrows zipping through the air in a volley of fire. Maka pushed herself up with her good leg and quickly slipped between the trees, stumbling as her ankle and leg protested. The noises behind her were dying down, meaning whoever had fired those arrows could be coming after her next.

It looked like she was at the top of a hill, a steep pathway leading the way to a clearing of sorts. With one last glance backwards, Maka began slowly hobbling her way down the slope, using nearby bushes and tree branches to keep her steady. It wasn't until about halfway down, when she had instinctively grabbed the nearest branch, that she realized her mistake as a loud _snap_ filled the air.

"Oh, _fuck—_!"

Maka's cursing filled the air as she slid the remainder of the way down, the yukata catching on rocks, shredding the fabric to pieces. A large puddle of what she assumed, and _hoped_, was water cushioned her fall. She hacked up the liquid while pushing herself to a sitting position, a hand resting against her stomach. The wound witch Esadora gave her had been pulled open, black blood coating her fingers as they pulled away. The black blood was no longer clotting her wounds, something that put her at a huge risk given the situation. Neither hair nor hide of the ogre appeared since her death back in Innopolis, the connection seemingly broken for good, even with the amount of madness sitting heavily in the air.

A chill ran up her spine, teeth clattering. Now that she was completely soaked, the next thing would be to find shelter and attempt to dry off. But looking around, it didn't seem like there was anything for miles. The sky above churned an ominous blood red as she slowly continued moving in search of shelter. It seemed madness was running rampant all over, affecting everything from the animals to the trees and even the weather. Having an anti-demon wavelength was a lifesaver to the meister, though it did little to quell the lurking urge to be swallowed by the madness. But what about Soul? Without her there to help suppress the overwhelming madness, it could plunge him into a murderous rampage. She needed to find him quickly before his soul was completely consumed. The amount of madness in the air was preventing her Soul Perception from working, so the meister set out in search of her partner the old-fashioned way; by walking until she found any sign of civilization.

As Maka walked across the deserted plain, two sets of eyes watched from high above, sharing a curious glance. With a nod, they began to move along the ground, keeping just far enough behind the girl to remain unnoticed.

"_Do you think," _The shorter of the two whispered, wide eyes never leaving their target. _"She really is…?"_

"_I don't know for sure, but the resemblance is too coincidental. She __**has**__ to be real. After…you know, what __**happened**__, it couldn't possibly anything else." _The other one muttered lowly, voice shaking. _"Unless these things have figured out how to morph into people…" _

It was a few hours before Maka finally called it quits, her leg screaming in agony from the constant movement. It was possible the creature caused a fracture just by its sheer weight pressing down on her slim leg. The perfect crippled target for any nearby predators, she thought bitterly. The only upside was that there seemed to be a building of sorts not too far in the distance, a beacon of hope for the stranded meister. It was too far for her to continue on for the night, or was it day? The darkened red skies made it impossible to tell the time of day, something that annoyed her greatly. The watch she had gotten from Soul had broken off somewhere, either when she landed or during her escape. Not like it would do any good wherever the hell she currently was.

A small cluster of rocks to her left seemed to act as a land marker leading towards the structure in the distance. Hobbling over to the pile, Maka let herself slump against the sharp edges, ignoring the small points pressing into her skin. She was exhausted, physically, mentally. Carefully pulling down her torn and dirty sock, she hissed as she took in the swollen purple and red joint. There was _no_ chance of walking any further even if she wanted to. At least the rocks provided a bit of shelter, though it also left her extremely vulnerable to attacks. She had to figure _something_ out if her journey had to continue on. No partner, no weapon, a useless ankle and a gaping stomach wound that leaked every time she shifted.

Where _was_ Soul? They had gotten separated at some point, at least, she was _fairly _sure he was here in this hellhole, and the thought of him succumbing to the madness plagued her constantly. If there wasn't so much interference she could try to search for him. The madness overwhelming the lands nearly blocked her from sensing her own soul wavelength. Maka sighed, letting her head rest against the rock. Moving forward was the best option for now, until she could reach the building just on the horizon. Exhaustion took over and she fell into a darkened slumber.

* * *

The impact of him hitting water had jerked the weapon from unconsciousness, his lungs filling with fluid as he struggled to surface. A shadow beneath him had caught his eye and sheer terror paralyzed his body as he looked into the massive glowing eye of Asura. Panicked, he kicked as hard as he could to reach the surface, the madness threatening to pull him under. As soon as he surfaced, Soul swam for the shore, the sensation of madness looming over him. Once on land, the weapon scrambled away from the shore, eyes wide and darting around nervously. The water was oddly still, not a single ripple moving across the surface. Not waiting around, the weapon took off as fast as he could, slipping against the loose dirt with wet shoes. The wasteland around him was overflowing with madness, lashing out at him as he ran. Creatures seemed to pull themselves up from the dirt, dangerously long claws snatching at his clothing. A _shing _reverberated through the air as Soul sliced the tendrils away. More and more appeared and the Death Scythe briefly weighed his options before yelling _'Fuck this!' _and running faster. Dozens of creatures were chasing Soul with ravenous snarls and snapping jaws across the plain, footprints thundering close behind.

The only thing nearby appeared to be a high cliff overlooking the land. It wouldn't be an easy climb, but it was better than being torn apart by madness-tainted monsters. A low rumbling vibrated through Soul's feet, stumbling him slightly as he ran. With each step it grew more intense until a large shockwave suddenly flung the weapon high into the air. As he flew upwards, Soul watched in sheer horror as a massive writhing ball of tentacles rose from the earth, uprooting the horde that had been chasing him before slowly crashing back down, sinking back into the dirt and taking its prizes with it. Another shockwave blasted into him mid-air, sending him soaring at breakneck speed towards the cliffs.

Soul twisted his body to face the incoming rocks, partially transforming to catch himself. The surface quickly approached, and he slammed the tip of the blade into the rock, bracing his feet as he slid backwards. Metal screeched loudly against the rock, sparks flying from the friction. Soul grit his teeth as he barely slowed down, the momentum of the throw too much for him to stop. Transforming one leg, he dug as hard as he could into the hard stone, praying it would be enough to slow him down. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed the edge of the cliffs rapidly approaching and with an exerted grunt, released his blades. He never would've been able to stop in time before flying right off of the ridge so with a string of curses, the weapon flew back into the air, preparing to become a pancake on the ground below.

"_Is that….__**no**__, it can't be…" _A feminine voice whispered in shock, watching as a figure flew through the air, headed for the cliffs. _"I-it can't be! He's…"_

"_That's him all right. I'd recognize that mop of hair anywhere." _A deep, rough voice replied, a deadly anger lurking in his tone. _"He has some balls to show back up here, after what he's __**done**__—"_

"_Why would he sudden show himself? He's been hidden for years, so why now? It can't be coincidental—" _The female cut off as she heard a loud screeching noise, like metal to stone. _"Oh, no—"_

"_Let's go say hi to an old friend." _

He wasn't going to make it. Dead and decaying trees lined the surrounding area, but he was going too fast and couldn't adjust his mid-air position enough to reach them. If he was going to die like this, he didn't want to see the ground rushing up at him before it crushed his body. With a deep breath in, Soul released his breath and closed his eyes, waiting for the impending impact that would take his life. The wind sliced at him through his soggy clothing, his skin stinging. Would that be the last thing he felt? Pain? Or would adrenaline take over and numb his body before he hit? It was almost a disappointment that his life wasn't flashing before his eyes, though any memory before meeting Maka wasn't worth remembering. Was she alright? Since landing in this world, he hadn't been able to sense her at all. The wound she had could be fatal and if she didn't get help in time—.

A whipping sound hit his ears seconds before something wrapped around his waist tightly, the object pressing painfully into his skin.

"What the—"

Soul opened his eyes in surprise as his body suddenly yanked him sideways, rattling his spine painfully as he was pulled away from the ground and towards the tree line. Releasing the blade to his left arm, the weapon prepared to slice the unknown object to bits when it suddenly released, sending him crashing painfully into the dirt.

"_Nice of you to show your face again, __**traitor**_." Someone spat as Soul rolled to a stop on his back with a grunt. _"After everything you've done, after all we've been through, you sided with the one person who ruined __**everything**__."_

"What the _fuck_ are you talking about?" Soul coughed as he sat up, hastily wiping the dirt from his face. "I don't even know where the fuck I am, how the hell could I have—"

A fist clenched into his shirts collar, suddenly dragging him upwards and into the face of an incredibly angry person. Blinking, Soul looked into the eyes of the person who had him locked into place. Dozens of new and old scars littered their face, the most noticeable one going over his right eye and the weapon's eyes widened in recognition.

"Black…Star?"

"_You don't get the damn right to say my name!" _Black Star snarled as he slammed Soul back into the ground. _"You don't get to act all buddy-buddy after everything! I'll never forgive you!" _

"_Black Star, stop!" _A slender arm shot out and gripped the ninjas arm tightly. _"Look at him!"_

"_I don't want to look at this bastards' face another minute long—!" _

"_**Look at him**__! He doesn't have that look in his eyes! The madness isn't controlling him, Black Star; it's not __**him**__."_

"Tsubaki?" Soul was hastily released. "What the hell is going on here?"

Black Star retreated to the safety of the treetops, shooting venomous looks down at the bewildered weapon. Tsubaki crouched next to him, her arms wrapped around her thin waist as she studied him with knitted brows. Seeing her up close, Soul noticed her once perfectly smooth skin had been dirtied and marred with dozens of small and medium scars littering her face and neck. A particularly nasty one trailed from her hairline down to her cheekbone, slicing through the end of her right eyebrow. It appeared she had lost weight as well, her cheekbones slightly sunken in. The most startling change about the shadow weapon was the dead glaze over her eyes, hidden trauma lurking beneath the deep blue surface.

"_You…aren't from this world, right?_ _Things are very…different here, Soul."_

"That's a little obvious," Soul scoffed as he dusted off his torn leather jacket. Maka had gotten him a new one last Christmas since he had grown out of his old one. A frown adorned his face. Where _was_ she?

"_Lose the attitude, asshole, or I'll punch your fucking mouth." _Black Star threatened from above, ignoring Tsubaki's warning glare.

"What crawled up your ass? I just fell into this world, nearly got eaten by a horde of…I don't even fucking _know_ what those things were! Got sent flying into the air by the biggest fucking creature I've ever _seen_, nearly became a pancake in the ground, nearly gotten beaten to a pulp by my supposed _best friend_, and Maka is nowhere to be found. _So,_ _no, I will not lose my __**attitude**__._"

It went deathly silent as Tsubaki tensed beside him. Soul watched as Tsubaki bit her lower lip, looking away. Black Star cursed under his breath from above, the sound of his fist hitting the tree nearly shaking the ground.

"What…what happened?" Soul asked slowly, dread gripping his heart as grief washed over Tsubaki's features.

"_You really wanna know, scythe boy?" _Black Star landed in front of him, gaze locked onto Soul. _"After you decided to side with Kishin Asura—"_

"_Black Star—"_

"_And lose yourself to the madness—"_

"_Please, wait—!"_

"_Who do you think tried to stop you? After you had __**slaughtered**__ most of Death City with the full power of Asura's madness under your control? We tried to stop you, before any more damage was done, but you were no longer yourself. Even I took some serious damage. But Maka…" _

"_Soul, this isn't easy for us to say," _Tsubaki whispered, blue eyes filling with tears as she looked at him with pity. _"Maka, she…what happened was—"_

"_You killed her." _

Soul's heart stopped beating, the air in his lungs rushing out. Glancing between the two, he was hoping they would suddenly say '_Just kidding!_ _She's completely fine!' _Their expressions weren't changing, no matter how many times he tried to blink it away. Maka…died? Because of _him_?

"W-what are you talking about? I would _never_ lay a hand on her. I love her!" Soul's voice hitched as the panic rose. "She's brought me back countless times before the madness overcame me, how can she just suddenly—"

"_Not even her anti-demon wavelength could calm you, Soul, her words couldn't reach your soul." _Tsubaki said quietly, slowly moving to cover his hand with hers. Black Star twitched in response, his fingers curling tightly at his side. _"Asura had been more powerful than we thought and Chrona couldn't seal him on the moon. He passed away trying to seal the Kishin and was absorbed, making Asura stronger than we could manage." _

"But we…_won_ that battle, Chrona sealed Asura using Brew in the depths of the moon." Soul stuttered, red eyes darting between them as he tried to prove them wrong. "It's been five _years _since that battle!"

"_That may have happened in __**your **__reality, Soul, but that's not what happened here." _Black Star said quietly._ "We lost the battle, the war, and even the city to the madness. Our fate was sealed when you lost yourself to the Kishin." _

Soul sat there in stunned silence, staring blankly at Tsubaki's hands encasing his own. They…lost? What happened for them to lose the war? Was Chrona not strong enough to contain the Kishin even after he swallowed him? Did Brew not function properly? Sure, it was a tough battle, one that still haunted him occasionally, but they had _won_. And Maka…

Black Star stood and turned away, one hand moving to quickly swipe at his face, out of sight from the other two. Tsubaki could feel the pain radiating through their resonance but didn't attempt to send reassuring waves. It didn't do any good. Not anymore. They were all too emotionally traumatized for comforting to work. Looking up at the darkened skies, Black Star sent a silent plea to _whatever_ god was left up there. Maybe things could be fixed, something, _anything_ to end the reign of terror Asura brought upon the world. After a moment he scoffed. If there had truly been a god, they wouldn't be in this mess. With a heavy sigh, the ninja forced himself to move back towards the silent scythe. He had forgotten what the old Soul was like, the one without unlimited madness, and a part of him subconsciously relaxed around the weapon. It would only be until they returned to their own time, Black Star thought bitterly, then they'd go back to narrowly surviving the endless creature attacks. If they didn't all starve to death first.

"_We can explain everything better once we get back to the hideout," _The ninja said quietly, looking anywhere but at him. _"I'm…sorry to have been the one to tell you, Soul, but we don't have time to sit around here, they'll be alerted by all of the noise." _

"_Soul, we need to move. Can you stand?" _Tsubaki asked gently, receiving no response. _"Black Star—"_

"I'm fine, give me a moment." Soul grunted as he pushed back from Tsubaki, staggering to his feet. "Something similar happened to Maka, back in…_our_ timeline. It's still pretty fresh, sorry."

"_We can talk it all over once we get there. It's not too far from here. Keep your eyes peeled for any shadows." _Black Star started walking away, leaving the other two to catch up.

She knew Black Star felt the pain as well, hiding it behind a well molded emotional mask. The pain transferring from him to her told the weapon everything she needed to know. With a flash of light, she transformed the end of her hair into a chain scythe.

With a confirmation nod from Soul, the three took off for shelter.

* * *

_Maka cracked her eyes open, a sea of darkness greeting her instead a barren wasteland. Panic coursed through her veins as her eyes shot wide open. It was darkness as far as the eye could see. Twisting around, looking up and down, sideways, even upside-down didn't change to scenery a tiny bit. _

"_**Surprised? You shouldn't be after all, this is all inside of your soul." **__A voice grumbled from behind her. __**"What you pulled last time was completely stupid and irresponsible, even more so than that spikey-headed buffoon." **_

"_Y-you're still alive," Maka breathed as she whirled around to come face-to-face with the little red ogre. "I thought you—"_

"_**Died? After that stupid stunt I did, for a while anyways." **__The ogre snapped at the meister, snapping his fingers. __**"You allowed yourself to be marked with an ancient curse that would kill you and use your body as a vessel to release Asura into the world. That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen someone do, though it makes for some fine entertainment. But you seem to forget one thing; 'Your anti-demon wavelength can only go so far if there's an extreme external source of madness around.' After you forced Asura from your body, your soul was overrun with anti-demon wavelength, preventing the madness from returning. It's a two-way street, dearie."**_

"_What are you trying to get at…"_

"_**You're denser than that blue haired idiot. I 'died' because you 'died'. But because your body is so intertwined with the black blood, I can never truly be killed unless you are permanently killed. Meaning—"**_

"_The black blood's effect can still work," Maka breathed as she stared at him, emerald eyes wide. "So, because the black blood can be affected both ways by enormous amounts of madness or anti-demon wavelength, the reason you're here is due to the environment of this timeline?" _

"_**Now you're getting it, dearie," **__He grinned manically, cracking his knuckles together eagerly. __**"Since the madness in this timeline outpowers your purifying wavelength, I'm able to move my way back in." **_

"_Could've healed me a bit faster then," Maka bit out, her eye twitching at the nonchalant shrug from the demon. "Does this mean I can find out where Soul is?"_

"_**You've got bigger problems to worry about right now."**__ He tossed a hand at the meister._

Maka was suddenly thrusted out of the darkness and back to reality as she was tossed onto the ground, someone pinning her down by her back. She struggled against her attacker violently, trying to shift her knee up to kick them off. A hand slammed her head to the dirt, curses slipping from Maka's lips as her arms were pulled tightly behind her.

"_Tie them tightly, I don't want this __**thing **__to get loose." A voice commanded to the meisters right. "She certainly looks like the real deal, but we'll let __**him**__ decide on that."_

"Let me go, damnit! Who the hell are you people anyways?" Maka grunted into the dirt, her limited vision only showing the expansive dirt plain. "I'm warning you, back off!"

A boot slammed down on her neck, constricting her airways. Choking, Maka struggled even harder, years of honed survival instincts kicking in. Twitching her fingers around until she felt skin-to-skin contact, Maka let out a strangled yell as she forced her wavelength into the person on top of her. With a yell they jumped off, their partner crying out in surprise. Rolling to her back, the meister swung out her good leg, catching the taller hooded perpetrator in the shin. A howl of pain echoed in the air as she forced herself to her knees, wincing in pain as her ankle popped angrily. With a burst of adrenaline, Maka took off, digging her heels into the dirt as hard as she could.

'_**I say we give them a taste of their own medicine,' **_He cooed in her head, anxiously chewing on his nails. _**'They're going to kill you otherwise. So why not make the game a little more fun?'**_

"The goal _isn't _to kill them," Maka panted as she forced herself to go faster. An arrow shot past her face, narrowly missing the back of her head. "I need answers from them first about this place. You _could_ help so we don't die again."

The ogre hummed as he thought, the sound of his nails tapping against the arms of his chair ringing loudly in the meisters head. _**'I suppose a freebie wouldn't hurt.'**_

With a snap of his fingers, the madness twitched in her veins before roaring to life as the pain dissolved into nothingness and Maka ran at full speed, fluidly dodging arrows left and right. The urge to retaliate threatened to consume her soul, drag it down into the depths of madness where she felt nothing but bloodlust. She resisted. The plan was to escape these two and find a way to the building quickly coming into view. An arrow suddenly pierced through her back, the bloodied tip protruding through the center of her chest. With a giggle she snapped the tip off, pulling the rest out and tossing it aside like trash while running. The black blood's effects were in full swing as she reached the edge of what she assumed was the remnants of a town, jumping over and weaving through debris with ease. A shout in the distance hit her ears and she looked ahead to see a figure standing on a tall mound of rubble.

"_This is your final warning, vile scum! If you don't turn back you'll face the wrath of the Lightning King!" _

"Ox? He's alive?" Maka breathed as she dodged another arrow, sliding across the loose rubble.

Lightning sparked at the tip of the spear as Ox leapt towards her, swirling his weapon around him. Maka grit her teeth as she ran straight at the meister. Most likely he was going to use the Lightning King Quake attack, extremely deadly if she was on the ground when it made contact. Narrowed green eyes watched as the spear began swinging downwards, Ox screaming the attacks name. It would be a small window, a few seconds at most, for her to dodge the lightning. Just feet away and Maka took the brief opening, launching from the ground and pulling her fist back as the spear contacted with the ground. Fueled by the madness, the meister threw all of her power into her arm and slammed it into Ox's face, a smile twitching at the corner of her lips as his glasses shattered loudly.

'_**Feels good, doesn't it? Now that your anti-demon wavelength isn't here to hold the madness back, you're free to go all out without fear.' **_The ogre tittered gleefully, nearly bouncing out of his high-backed chair with excitement. _**'Come on, Maka, let the madness take over every fiber of your being! Let them know what you're capable of.'**_

A rush of warmth cascaded from her mind, slowly coursing from her head to her chest and down to her toes. Maka's smile widened impossibly and her movements altered drastically as she twisted around and caught Ox by the neck with her shin. Hearing him grunt in pain made her heart race with giddiness and with a flick of her leg sent him careening into a heap of debris. Laughter slipped past her lips as she landed on a dilapidated chimney, hunched over and shielding her eyes.

"You fleeeeeeeew! You flew so far!" Maka cackled as she straightened back up.

"_Kill her! She's lost to the madness!" _Someone screamed behind the meister.

Turning around towards the noise, Maka watched as a meister-weapon duo transformed, a gun pointing at her chest. With her mind fuzzy, a gust of wind tore the shredded brown hood off of the wielder, locks of blonde flying.

'_Liz…and Patty?' _Maka thought hazily as she rapidly dodged the blasts of wavelength. _'If they're here, does that mean—?'_

"_Lightning King Drill!" _

Dropping low to avoid the high-aimed attack, Maka swept her foot out and whacked Ox in the back of the knee, crippling his stance. With the aid of the black blood, the meister grabbed him by the arm before hurling him towards Liz and Patty. With a scream and some cursing, they crumpled into a heap of limbs. Giggling, Maka turned and sprinted towards the building with renewed vigor. If they were here, then that meant Kid was most likely inside of the crumbling building. The door came into sight and the meister slowed down, an uneasy feeling coming over her as she reached for the handle. The black blood quivered as an ominous dark aura seeped from between the cracks. Her mind screamed _run_ as it grew more intense and before she could even shift her foot, the doors slammed open, black tendrils shooting from the depths and wrapping around her tightly before yanking her into the building. The doors creaked loudly as they slammed shut.

* * *

"_So, this witch named Ametrine targeted Maka because of her anti-demon wavelength and planned to use the black blood to unleash Asura's power from eight-hundred years ago? And she used a curse to stop her heart in order to use her body so the Kishin could channel through her?" _Tsubaki summarized the story Soul had just finished, the scythe pursing his lips tightly_. "Once Asura was released, Maka had to fight through the madness on her own from the inside to reclaim her body and stop Asura from releasing into the world. But in doing so, she strained her soul too much by resonating with hundreds of stolen souls to escape, therefore causing an enormous amount of strain on her own. And now there is another witch coming after her, Esadora, right?" _Soul nodded. _"At the festival, you two were ambushed after explosions went off and somehow you were teleported to this reality overrun with madness."_

"_Fuck, that sounds worse when you repeat it." _Black Star whistled lowly, earning a sharp look from his weapon. _"What? I know Maka's badass and all, but shit."_

"She didn't take too kindly to Asura taking over her body." Soul said dryly.

They had arrived at the small cavernous hideout in less than an hour, offering Soul what little food and water they had available. He declined. They were in a lot rougher shape than he was. Even Black Star had even lost some muscle mass by the look of it. There were a few beds scattered throughout the tunnels, some tattered clothing and a few small baskets filled with food. Water dripped from above and landed in a makeshift rain catcher with a shirt as a filter. Soul couldn't imagine living like this for even a few days, let alone _years_ like they had. They sat for a few hours, talking about the differences between the timelines.

"Maka is still missing, I need to find her." Soul muttered quietly more to himself, missing the glance shared between Black Star and Tsubaki.

"_Soul, there's something we haven't told you." _Tsubaki started slowly, feeling his gaze. _"Most of the people you know are gone, either due to the madness or…"_

"I killed them."

"_Well, this world's version of you," _She quickly corrected. _"But the witches are no longer in this realm due to the dangerous environment. They sealed off any entrances to the Coven and have cut ties with Death City. Kim was even pulled back. As Asura grew stronger, most of the world's population fell to the madness, even most of the city fell. There are a few meisters and weapons left, though—"_

"_Ox and Harvar, Liz and Patty, Akane and Clay, Marie…" Black Star counted on his fingers._

"Stein?" Soul dreaded asking the question, earning a slow headshake in return.

"_Marie lost control of him and he tried to attack her…" _Tsubaki bit her lip, averting her gaze. _"It was purely self-defense, Soul, Stein couldn't be stopped. Marie…did what she __**had**__ to do."_

Soul clenched his jaw, teeth grinding together. Everyone he cared about had _died_ because he fell into the madness. It was pathetic how weak he was, allowing himself to have his sanity taken away so easily. A hand clapped down on his shoulder and he looked up to see Black Star crouched in front of him, a serious expression adorning his face.

"_It's not your fault, Soul, you had no idea what was happening in this timeline. Don't blame yourself for something you had no control over." _Soul let out a heavy breath but nodded.

"How long did it take before I lost control?"

"_A week, maybe a little less," _Tsubaki spoke softly, blue eyes looking into his. _"The madness was overwhelming, many perished the first day from the sheer intensity."_

"What about Kid? Is he still alright?" Soul noticed the way they tensed at the name. "Don't tell me—"

"_In order to combat the amount of madness Asura was releasing, Kid's own madness skyrocketed," _Black Star pushed himself up and moved back to Tsubaki's side. _"It began to overwhelm him after a while of fighting, so he locked himself in what's left of the DWMA building not far from here. By that point everything had already gone to hell and there were very few survivors left."_

"There's no hope left then," Soul confirmed his fears as they nodded.

"_Hey, we made it this long at least! Problem is, we're all going to just starve before madness takes us over." _

"_Star, knock it off! Soul is already traumatized by everything we've said." _Tsubaki practically punched her partner in the arm, earning an insincere hurt look. _"Look, Soul, we can take you to where Kid is, but we aren't sure how he'll react to seeing you. We haven't seen him the past few years, not since he locked himself up. Those of us still alive will be distraught to see your face, even though it isn't __**you**__ they're seeing."_

"If there's a chance Maka is there, I'll do whatever I have to. Hell, I'd even punch Kid in the face to straighten him out." Black Star snorted but held out his fist, nonetheless. Soul tapped it with a small grin.

"_You heard the man, 'Baki, we've got us a Reaper to punch!" _

* * *

The black blood had quickly receded as Maka stared up in dread from her position on the cold hard floor, body shaking uncontrollably. Sitting just a few feet in front of her sat someone familiar, a person she had known for years and considered one of her closest friends. But it wasn't _him_. Golden eyes were darker, colder, more intimidating than she had ever seen. His posture was rigid, as if he were a statue, as he stared down at her with such contempt it made her skin crawl. His pale sunken face was dirt covered, something she knew he would _never _let happen, with three white lines covering his mouth. His Reaper robes were twitching around him restlessly as if they had a mind of their own and the meister couldn't help but feel uneasy at their movements. Maka could feel the laden of madness hanging in the air as she carefully tried to shift herself to a standing position. Kid's eyes never left her face, almost as if he were searching for something deeper beneath the surface.

"K-Kid…" Maka stuttered.

"_You don't appear to be a monster of Asura's creation," _Maka flinched at the hardness in his voice, void of any emotion. _"Yet you can't possibly be here right now."_

"It's a long story…" She could almost feel the ogre trembling within her soul, afraid of the overwhelming madness suppressing him. "What…what happened, Kid? Why is everything like this?"

Kid remained silent, narrowing his eyes as his gazed moved to her chest, studying something unseen. Maka suppressed a shudder as he searched her soul, the madness yearning to claw its way in there. Quickly glancing around, she noticed they were in what remained of the Death Room, even though most of it had been completely destroyed. By Asura or Kid, she couldn't tell.

"_Interesting." _Kid murmured, snapping Maka's attention back to him. _"The souls are the same, yet this shouldn't be possible."_

"I can explain—"

"_No need, I have no use for an imitation of a dead friend." _Kid almost lazily raised his palm towards her as madness swirled dangerously around him.

"W-wait! Kid, I'm not an imitation! I can prove it!" Maka blurted out desperately, hoping he would give her a chance.

The air was tense as everything came to a standstill, Maka tensing up to dodge a blast of madness as Kid eyed her emotionlessly. After a minute, his arm slowly lowered back to the arm of his chair, dirty fingers curling around the end. Taking that as her sign to continue, the meister let out a shaky breath.

"I-I come from another reality, one that isn't overflowing with madness," Maka hesitantly spoke, watching for any expression changes on the Reaper. "We won the battle on the moon and you became the next Lord Death after Shinigami passed away so you could inherit his powers. With the help of Kim, you helped create a treaty with the witches to end the hatred between us. You dubbed Soul the last Death Scythe—" _There. _It was subtle, but Kid's eyes widened the tiniest fraction. "And set about creating a peaceful world. It's been five _years_ since the battle on the moon. I don't know how I got here, or what's going on, but I need to find _Soul_—"

"_ENOUGH!" _The Reaper bellowed, sending Maka sprawling to the floor in surprise, emerald eyes wide with fear. _"You are not to speak of that name here. If it so much as forms on your lips, I will tear them from your face." _

Kid pushed himself from his throne, towering over the petrified meister with a swirling aura. It didn't matter how many illusions Asura sent him, he would never believe any of them, especially the one staring up at him in sheer terror. For many years he had been plagued by the scene playing over and over in his mind, the screams haunting his every waking moment. They couldn't stop him as he slaughtered one by one, mind completely lost to the madness. It had started with a few of the nearby younger students, those who hadn't learned to control weapons yet. Teachers were next, falling one by one, followed by anyone who attempted to get near him. It wasn't until Maka had attempted to stop him that he briefly faltered, staring at her with blank eyes before a maniacal grin nearly split his face in two as he lifted the blade above his head, her pleas turning to screams of agony as it swung down. Everything had become a blur after that, bits and pieces coming back to him every now and then to prolong the haunting memory.

He had to admit, the illusion sitting before him was nearly identical to the fallen meister, down to the soul wavelength. It didn't matter though. This one would die like all of the others.

"K-Kid, please, listen to me! Let me help you! I don't know what's going on, but _please let me help_!" Maka pleaded with tears in her eyes. "You saw inside of my soul, you _know _I'm real!"

"_Real or not, you are just a distant haunting memory that needs to be exterminated." _Kid seethed as he raised his hand once more, a ball of swirling madness forming against his palm. _"Begone."_

**B**

They had just reached the inner edge of the city when an attack came out of nowhere, sending debris raining over them. Black Star immediately darted in the direction of the attacker, moving so fast his form became nonexistent while Soul ducked to the left, sliding across the dirt to hide behind broken concrete. He could hear fighting nearby as he ran low through the shambled buildings, peeking around corners. As he rounded a large chunk of concrete, a flash of lightning nearly blinded him, and he stumbled backwards with spots in his eyes.

"_Damnit, I wasn't expecting to see Black Star! He hasn't been seen in years, so why is he here now?" _A voice shouted over a series of explosions. Soul tensed up.

"It's Ox…Harvar must be with him, too." The weapon muttered as he blinked away the last of the spots.

The meisters back was mostly turned, giving Soul the perfect opportunity to strike. He didn't _want_ to hurt his friend but in this world no one could be trusted. Carefully sneaking around the corner, Soul watched as Ox twirled the spear around him, eyes darting wildly around. His glasses were smashed in, imprints of the lens imbedded in the flesh around his eyes. Blood trickled from his nose, the swelling and bruising indicating it was most likely broken. Holding a dirty finger to his ear, Ox pressed down on the earpiece sticking out.

"_Lord Death, we've got identified intruders breaching the inner edge of the city! They're moving fast! Oh fuck, is that—"_ Ox turned around in time to see Soul launching up at him, blades materializing on his arms.

With a blur of a movement, Soul sliced through the comm system in Ox's ear, disabling his connection to Kid. Ox stumbled backwards, landing on his butt, and stared up in horror at the weapon looming over him. Harvar was screaming at him to move already but his meister was frozen in place. Stepping closer, Soul looked down at him with pity. He was _petrified_, looking like he was facing death itself as he sat on the ground pleading to be saved.

"I'm not who you think I am, Ox, I won't hurt you. I just need to know," Soul crouched down in front of him, dissolving the blades. "Where Kid is."

"_Y-y-y-you're h-h-ere-e," _Ox stuttered out, teeth clattering violently. _"P-p-please d-don't kill m-me!" _

Soul growled and rolled his eyes before turning to the spear in Ox's quivering hands. "Harvar—"

"_In what's left of the Death Room." _The weapon said quietly, transforming back. _"Though now he'll most likely be coming out here to take out the nuisances disturbing him." _

"Was there someone else with him, a girl?" Soul asked hesitantly, looking into the scratched and dirty sunglasses covering his eyes. "Maka, was she with him?"

"_You mean that creature that looked like her? __**It**__ went nuts, controlled by the madness as it attacked us and Liz and Patty. Beat the shit out of Ox." _Harvar sighed heavily. _"Look, if you're going to kill us, do it. I'm tired of living in this miserable hell pit." _

"I'm not going to kill _anyone_, I just need to get to Maka." Soul stressed as he stood back up. Maka controlled by the madness? This wasn't good.

Black Star suddenly appeared beside him, pointing his katana into Harvar's face. _"Piece of shit! You just alerted Kid, didn't you?!" _

"_Black Star," _Harvar spat. _"You __**finally**__ decided to show your face again after, what, nearly three years? Pathetic of you to return after tucking your tail and running away! A shame, Tsubaki, that you were dragged down with this idiot meister of yours." _The tip of the blade pressed into his neck, a thin line of blood spilling.

"_Enough!_" Soul snarled as he yanked back on Black Star's arm, earning a murderous look. "I don't give two _fucks_ what happened between the two of you right now, all that matters is finding Maka before Kid does. You two were friends, look at yourselves now; calling each other traitors and threatening to kill one another? How could you turn sides so easily? If anything, you're _both_ pathetic."

Harvar looked away in shame while Black Star scoffed before ripping his arm from Soul's grip, blue eyes flashing yellow. _"Easy for you to say when this isn't __**your world**__."_

Before Soul could respond, a large blast of madness spewed from the front of the school, crawling and slithering over the debris towards the group. Black Star tensed and put himself in front of them all, Tsubaki rapidly changing form.

"_Tsubaki." _Black Star caught the spinning shuriken, nodding towards a hole in the roof of the former DWMA. _"I'll handle this asshole, make sure she's safe! I __**won't **__lose Maka again. Go, Soul!" _

"Right!"

* * *

Maka watched as the madness began forming in Kid's palm, the sharp wind easily slicing through her. Her own madness had been overpowered and not even her anti-demon wavelength could save her now. There was nothing around for her to use as a weapon, at least nothing that could do enough damage for her to escape. Talking had only made things worse, though she couldn't understand why saying Soul's name triggered such a severe reaction. Pain throbbed in her leg and she winced. The black blood's affect wore off as well as the adrenaline, exhaustion crashing over her like a tidal wave. At least it would be quick, maybe a few seconds of pain and then nothingness. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, she waited for the impact to hit.

"_Lord Death, we've got unknown intruders breaching the inner edge of the city! They're moving fast!" _A staticky voice echoed around the room, panicked. _"Oh fuck, is that—" _The line went dead.

Kid looked at the crumpled form sitting in front of him, exhausted and deflated while it waited for death. The creature couldn't run away, not with that severe of a leg injury. Clenching his fist shut, he glanced into the distance once more before letting out a heavy sigh.

"_I will be back for you after I take care of some business. Do not attempt to leave, I have your wavelength memorized." _With a flourish of his robes he was gone.

Maka nearly sobbed with relief as she opened her eyes. Waiting around would be pointless if Kid was going to kill her anyways, so the meister looked around for a means of escape. He'd gone down a narrow hallway, to the right of the tattered throne, and there was another hallway leading to the left. If she remembered correctly that hallway could lead to the study hidden beyond the main area of the Death Room. Having only been in there once or twice, it was a vague guess as to where the path would actually lead her.

Shoving herself up, the meister heavily limped her way against the massive chunks of concrete surrounding the room towards the hallway. Glancing over her shoulder quickly, Maka slipped into the hallway, moving as fast as she could before Kid returned. She didn't know what was happening or _why_ everyone in this place was trying to kill her, though she wanted to know, but her priority was finding Soul first and foremost. This world was far too dangerous to navigate with the madness infected creatures and her 'friends' trying to kill her every second. The expression etched on the demon weapons face was pure anguish as she aimed Patty and pulled the trigger with shaking arms. Liz almost acted like she had seen a _ghost_.

After what seemed like an eternity, a doorway appeared at the end of the expansive hallway, a relief for the panting meister. Warmth trickled down her front as her wound spilled black blood over the surprisingly clean tile floors. She had lost too much blood, the edges of her peripheral swimming as she stumbled into the door. Shaking hands fumbled for the handle. With a soft click the door swung open, Maka falling to the floor with a grunt. It was warm, tempting the meister to just close her eyes and sleep. She pushed herself up to sit on her knees, slowly looking around the room. It was definitely Kid's office, that much she knew. There were pictures placed symmetrically along the walls of the meister and weapons, Black Star with Kid in a headlock, even one of the group at the school dance right before Medusa attacked, though part of it seemed to be missing.

"It's like nothing changed, everything is exactly like the one back home," Maka whispered as she used the corner of the walnut desk to pull her broken body up. Pain erupted in her stomach and she lightly placed her hand on the wound, blood seeping through her fingers. "Damnit."

With a deep breath in, she stood upright as she ripped the remnants of the yukata off, using her teeth to tear them into smaller strips, letting them fall onto the desk. When she had used up all of the material, Maka grabbed the individual pieces and began tying them tightly around her waist, hissing as dirt got into the wound. With two strips left she carefully hobbled to the large chair behind the desk and plopped into it. Her ankle was a dark purple as she lifted the once white shift, red splotching its way up her leg and stopping just shy of a massive bruise where her leg had been stepped on. Carefully, and clenching her jaw to not cry out in pain, she tightly wrapped the wound as best she could knowing it wouldn't help at this point.

A picture frame face down on the desk caught her eye and she swiveled in the chair to look closer. The wooden edges had splintered, glass gleaming beneath the warm light of the lamp burning above her. A corner of a picture stuck out and Maka carefully tugged on it, glass sliding off the desk as the frame moved. There was something written on the back of it though it was smudged and no longer legible, as if someone had held it repetitively. Slowly flipping it over, tears stung at her eyes as she looked down at the faces. It was all of them, standing side by side outside of the DWMA, all in their Spartoi apparel. Black Star had his arm thrown around an annoyed Kid's neck while the meister herself had a lock on his left arm, smiling widely at the camera. Liz and Patty flanked to the left of Maka while Tsubaki was on her partners right, yanking at his arm and looking worried. What threw her off was the fact that someone had been ripped off of the end, the picture torn haphazardly as though in anger.

"Soul…he was standing next to Tsubaki that day," Maka murmured to herself, running a finger over the rough edge. "Why would Kid do that? Freaking out over just his _name_ was odd enough, but this is beyond weird. What happened between everyone and Soul?"

"_**People tend to hate you when you kill almost the entirety of Death City." **_

A voice from the doorway spooked Maka and she jerked back, eyes wide as the door shut quietly, plunging the room into darkness save for the lantern swinging above her. It…_sounded_ like Soul, but there was something different, something sinister lurking in his voice. Had he fallen to the madness? No, he said he'd killed almost all of the city, something her Soul had never done or ever _would._

"Who are you?" Footsteps slowly moved across the tiled floor, pushing the meister further back against the chair.

"_**Can't tell your own partner's voice, Maka? Pity, you certainly knew my name as you screamed while I sliced through you." **_

Oh Death.

"Y-you're the Soul of this world, aren't you?" Maka swallowed down the fearful scream climbing up the back of her throat. "What _happened_ to you? Why is everything so—?"

"_**Fucked up? That's the power of Asura's madness," **_Soul chuckled darkly, scraping something loudly against the edge of the desk. A glint of metal caught the meisters eye and she froze. _Now she understood why his name was forbidden. _

"You fell to the madness and became unstable," The screeching slowed to a stop, as if he were listening. "Your mind became lost and you couldn't control yourself. When I mentioned your name earlier, Kid blew up on me, telling me to never say it again. Why couldn't you fight it, Soul? You're the strongest, smartest, kindest person I _know,_ and I could've helped you fight it."

It was a tense few minutes, Maka breathing as quietly as possible while Soul remained silent. She couldn't tell what he was feeling, thinking with all the madness swirling in the air. A bright light flashed, and the reflection of the blade vanished.

"_**I…I tried to fight it," **_His voice was soft, damaged. _**"I never wanted to hurt anyone, least of all you. The madness overwhelmed me and…I watched it all, trapped within my own body as I laid waste to everyone." **_

"Soul…"

"_**I don't want your pity, Maka, it's no good to me now. I want you to do something, do me a favor." **_

Maka tensed as something moved in front of her, a shock of white hair appearing in the light. His normal red eyes had turned black from the madness churning inside of him, a sight that saddened the meister. Scars covered nearly every inch of his face and neck, a particularly bad one running through his left eye, over his nose and down to the corner of his jaw that plunged deep into his skin, an angry pink in color. Without thinking she raised her hand, outstretching her fingers to touch it. Reacting quickly, he grabbed her hand tightly and pushed it away as he tensed up. He was struggling with himself internally, she noticed, as he looked down at her bruised and bloody appendage. Maka waited patiently, eyes never leaving his as he glanced between the two. Slowly, he released his tight grip and moved her fingers towards his face. The scar felt smooth as she lightly traced over it, starting at the top and tracing downward. Soul stayed completely still, eyes watching her face intently.

"I can't imagine what you went through…" Maka whispered as tears trailed down her face and onto her lap. "I'm so sorry, Soul, for not being able to help you when you needed me the most. I wish…there was something I could do for you."

"_**There is." **_Soul grabbed her wrist, loosening his grip slightly at her tensing. _**"Only you can do it, Maka."**_

"Anything,"

"_**I want to hear your screams once more."**_

A hand wrapped around her throat and she thrashed wildly against his hold, scratching at his arm and flailing her legs at him. The madness was beginning to overflow from his body, snaking down his arm towards Maka's face. His eyes were pitch black, madness swirling violently inside of them as she glared at him. Clamping her hands tightly around his wrist, the meister forced the full force of her wavelength into his body, a bright blue electricity exploding into Soul and sending him flying through the far wall of the office and into the wasteland. Not wasting another second, she stumbled around the desk, coughing, as she reached for the door handle. Madness was flaring up, the itching in Maka's veins growing progressively worse, her mind becoming fuzzy as she tried to fight it. The handle turned and she flung the door open, falling against the tile.

"_Move_, body!" Maka grunted as she tried to stand, collapsing back against the cool floor. "_Move!" _

An explosion behind her finally sent the adrenaline pumping and she frantically began crawling away, forcing her body up. He was getting closer, toying with her like a predator with its prey, as he slowly walked through the doorway.

"_**Maka, you said you would do anything for me," **_Soul purred as his arm transformed, his footsteps slow and deliberate.

"Dying isn't included in that!" Maka huffed as she neared the collapsing portion of the hallway. Between Soul and Kid, she'd rather it be the latter at this point.

An objected whizzed through the air and barely scraped her arm before slamming into the pile of concrete, a cloud of dust kicking up as it obliterated. Maka pushed herself faster, squeezing through a narrow gap between the wall and debris. It was the path she had taken before, but the rocks had shifted to nearly seal the hallway. She spotted another gap and forced herself through it, flinching as something exploded near her head. A quick survey of the area appeared to be a side hallway, most likely one running behind and around the Death Room in case of emergency.

"_**Come on, Maka, just give yourself into the madness," **_Soul called to her, annoyance lacing his voice. _**"You can't escape this. You've got no weapon, you've lost too much blood, and you're headed towards a dead end."**_

Maka bit her tongue. Responding now would zero him in on her location and result in a swift death. Hopefully, he didn't know about the secret hallway she was currently staggering down, breathing ragged. Running her hands over the wall, she searched for any cracks or abnormalities in the wood. The previous Lord Death loved the idea of secret doors everywhere since Kid always wanted to play hide and seek when he was young. She thanked her lucky stars she read every book there was about the DWMA before becoming a student. Something snagged at her fingers and she stopped, pressing her palm over the wall. It was faint, but a shallow ridge was cutting into the wood. With her other hand she searched for the other side, looking for a notch that when pushed opened the door.

"Found it!" Maka whispered in triumph as she pressed into the noticeable notch, hearing a soft _click_ as it quietly popped open.

Glancing over her shoulder, Maka quickly pried the door open, squeezing into the darkness.

* * *

Soul climbed his way over the rubble, hearing the explosive battle between Kid and Black Star raging on behind him. Overwhelming madness was surging over him, the urge to succumb to its warm embrace tempting to the weapon. He forced himself to keep going, jaw clenched tight as he tried to maintain his sanity. The roof had collapsed inward, brick and shattered shingles funneling like a slide into the building. Glancing back at the intense fighting, he pulled himself up and over the edge of the jagged wall. Soul landed on the massive pile of debris and slowly began sliding down it, keeping low to prevent himself from falling and tumbling to the floor. Just as he was nearing the bottom, a noise caught his attention and he froze, blade at the ready. A voice, he realized. It wasn't in the near vicinity as it was fairly muffled, but it wasn't one he recognized. Moving slowly, he crept along a hallway, keeping close to the wall and peering around every corner. The area looked somewhat familiar with nails jutting crookedly from the walls. Only the corridor outside of the Death Room had hanging paintings, to preserve the symmetry Kid had argued.

An explosion shook the foundation of the school, nearly knocking Soul off his feet in the process. Debris began shifting and Soul rolled out of the way as some fell from the ceiling, crashing loudly into the floor and kicking a heavy cloud of dust up. A creaking noise alerted him, and he crouched low, searching around with narrowed eyes. Another creak pulled his eyes to a section of the wall across from him, a thin line appearing in the paint. Soul snuck across the hallway, staying behind the wall segment to stay hidden. Slowly it opened, scraping debris across the ground as it moved. There was still dust in the air, but the weapon could see a hand gripping the edge of the door. As soon as the person had cleared the door, he moved.

"Don't move." Soul said lowly as he slammed his blade into the wall, blocking the person from escaping. "I don't want to hurt you—"

Blue electricity suddenly swung at him, catching him by surprise as he ducked to avoid the blast of soul wavelength. Grabbing the wrist that swung at him, Soul pinned it to the wall, dissolving his blade to grab for the other one that was reaching for his. The person was definitely smaller than him, though they fought against his grip like a hellcat, even trying to kick at him.

"Stop! I just want some information—!"

"Get _off _of me!"

Wait…

"Maka?" The person stopped struggling, tensing up.

The dust finally settled enough to reveal his meister looking up at him with wide and terrified eyes. Soul released his grip on her and took a step back. She was torn up and covered in dirt, her yukata gone except for strips wrapped around her waist and ankle. Dirty blonde locks were tangled and loosened from her curled bun. A bruise was forming around her neck, a sight that sent fury through Soul's body.

"S-Soul?" Maka blinked owlishly at him, slumping against the wall for support. "Y-you're not…the madness hasn't…?"

"Maka, who did this to you?" Soul reached his hand towards her neck but stopped when she suddenly flinched back. "Are you alright?"

Maka pushed herself from the wall and into his arms, slumping heavily against him as she cried silently. Soul held her tightly, placing a hand against the back of her head. His strong, powerful, brave meister looked just as broken as the people here, a side of her he _never_ wanted to see. Another explosion shook the building, debris opposite of them crumbling over Kid's chair in the center.

"We need to move—"

"_**Well, isn't this interesting?"**_

* * *

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUN. This chapter was extra long because I couldn't find a good place to stop. I would be terrified if I fell into a world like this. How would you guys handle it?**


	21. Soul vs Soul

"_Nice of you to show up again, Black Star," _Kid drawled as he effortlessly blocked the ninjas attacks. _"It's only been, what, three years? Three years, one hundred and thirty-seven days if you want me to be precise about it." _

"_Shut it! You abandoned everyone and hid in your fucking castle like a coward!" _Black Star screamed as he swung his blade down, the Reaper's cloak deflecting the hit. _"You gave up! You left the rest of us to __**die**__! Your power is stronger than Asura's, yet you just sit here and mope while the rest of us are starving to death or being eaten by those monsters! I doubt you even realized we had to bury Jacqueline a few weeks ago. We found her body, torn apart and ravaged by those __**things**__, Kid. There were countless others we buried, but I doubt you care." _

"_Death happens to us all at some point." _Kid swung his leg out, catching Black Star in the back and sending him flying. _"With life comes death, the cycle continuing endlessly."_

"_Are you saying Maka's death was __**because of the cycle of life**__?" _

Kid remained silent, watching his _former_ friend dig himself out of rubble. What happened to Maka was not justified by any means, regardless of the madness, but their lives continued on no matter how miserable and desolate it was. All of them had been traumatized as Soul hacked his own meister to bits, laughing manically while doing so. Madness had completely taken over his mind as they fought him, screaming, crying, cursing at him for taking such a precious life away. But in the end they couldn't do it, couldn't kill the person they considered family as he continued on his tirade.

"_I am not saying that." _Kid sighed, tiring of the conversation. _"What happened was something nearly impossible for us to stop. Call it fate, or whatever you want. We both know none of us could kill Soul." _

Black Star swayed to his feet, using the back of his hand to wipe the blood from his mouth. Kid was staring at him emotionlessly like usual. Bastard wasn't even bothering to go full strength against him.

"_Soul could've been stopped, he could've been tied up and locked away in the damned basement of the school for fucking eternity, but you just stood there and __**watched**__." _

"_Enough! Both of you!" _Tsubaki snapped as she transformed, standing between the two with her arms out. _"Look what's happened to us! We were friends, __**are **__friends, and you two are arguing over something that isn't the cause of all this! Asura released the madness, __**not**__ Kid. Instead of bickering, we need to fight together as a team once more to stop him." _

"_This is none of your concern." _Kid said darkly, turning black eyes to the weapon.

"_This is __**everyone's**__ concern! I understand the overwhelming madness in your body is because you needed to be stronger than Asura to defeat him. I know you can sense his soul in there, Kid. We're down the most powerful meister-weapon team but we have someone here who __**can**__ help." _

"'_Baki, I doubt Soul will want to help save this damn corrupted world," _Black Star huffed. _"He's got his own damn issues to worry about, why would he—"_

"_That Maka in there is nothing more than imposter." _

"_You are fucking—!" _

Madness exploded from the school, washing over them all in a heavy haze. Kid moved his head slightly to glare at the unseen source. Black Star took a few steps back, shielding his face with his arm as a heavy dust kicked up, pulling Tsubaki behind him with the other. Something wasn't right. Soul had just gone in there, he couldn't have fallen to the madness so soon.

"_Black Star," _Tsubaki called out, voice trembling. _"It's __**him**__."_

"_Kid, where the fuck is Maka?" _The Reaper briefly glanced at him.

"_You mean that __**thing**__ that's imitating her? I left it in the Death Room. It was too wounded to move anyways, so this takes care of th—"_

Kid jolted as a fist collided with the side of his face, his footing slipping on the loose rock beneath him. With wide eyes he stared at Black Star, fingers barely touching the now swelling mark. Immense hatred and rage rolled off of Black Star's tensed body, his breathing heavy as blue eyes turned yellow.

"_She isn't an imitation, jackass, she's __**real**__ and going to be killed by Soul __**again**__ if you don't get in there and stop him!" _Black Star roared as he swung again, clipping the top of his head. _"You're fucking disgusting! You're no better than Asura at this point! I won't sit around and watch her die __**again**__!" _

Kid watched silently as he took off, blasting right through the front doors of the school with Tsubaki on his heels. The madness inside of him began to twitch restlessly, anxious for a good fight. The will had died out long ago, the looming memory of the bloodshed a constant reminder of Asura's power. Two soul wavelengths entered his perception and he remained still, instead searching the souls inside of the building.

"_Kid! Where's Black Star? He got away from us!" _Liz panted as she and Patty staggered up to him, bruised up but still in one piece. _"There was this girl that looked like—"_

"_Maka. I am well aware."_

"_She got us good, went all nuts with madness and beat the shit out of Ox." _Patty tossed in, scuffing her torn and dirty shoes against the ground. _"Kid, I think she's real. Like, __**really **__real. Sis and I followed her for quite a ways and she acted like she had no idea where she was." _

"_Interesting." _

"_What's going on in there? The madness is becoming sickening," _Liz held her cloak to her scrunched face.

"_**He's**__ here."_

* * *

Soul kept Maka tight against his chest as he slowly backed away, eyes never leaving _himself_. Whatever the hell it was didn't seem human anymore. Madness was pouring from his body, spilling to the floor and slithering towards him, the tendrils lashing out at his feet. Black eyes stared eerily at him, sending a shiver down his spine. His body was awkward, as if his bones had rearranged themselves, limbs elongated and thin, back hunched. It reminded the weapon of when they were called to Russia after Chrona attacked.

"_**You look like me," **_Soul, the _other _one, mused aloud. _**"Interesting. The black blood still flows in your veins, yet you haven't fallen to the madness. Why is that? Are you afraid of the madness? Don't want to drown in it? Or is it because of…" **_He motioned with a gnarled hand to the meister.

"Don't fight him, Soul, you'll be sucked into the madness. I can barely fight it off," Maka mumbled against his jacket. "Get as far away as you can."

Maka was right, the madness was beginning to make him feel fuzzy, the familiar fire surging through his veins at a fast pace. The corner of his lips twitched. He wouldn't last more than a few minutes longer being exposed like this.

"What the hell happened to you? Too weak to fight it off?" Soul taunted the being standing before him, hoping to buy time as he slowly inched backwards. "How _pathetic_ you lost yourself to the madness. You shouldn't even have the title of Death Scythe, the _last_ Death Scythe at that. Fighting so hard to earn that title, to become the best meister-weapon duo in the school only to fail in the end. You fought countless witches, pre-Kishin, Chrona, and even Asura, but this is what got you? _Madness_? Something that had been engrained into your body for so many years? Becoming one with the black blood and utilizing its powers to slay those who threatened the peace of the world?"

Maka scrunched her brows in confusion. _What the hell was he doing? _

"The person you cared most about, loved, protected, saved countless times…you _killed_ her when she tried to stop you. After everything…_you killed the one person who could save you!" _Soul snarled dangerously, his anger getting the better of him.

The slithering tendrils stilled as did dark Soul, black eyes studying his normal opposite. Slowly, almost painstakingly, the madness began to recede as the weapon continued staring at the two. His lips parted a few times, words failing to form before closing once more. His body straightened out, hands dropping loosely to his sides. With a sharp intake of breath, he spoke.

"_**I never…wanted to kill her." **_Dark Soul said slowly, surprising Soul. _**"I had no control over my body after the madness seeped into my mind and took over. I had to watch…watched as my body moved on my own, watched the blade materialize before it swung down, watched as her expression turned to sheer terror as her skin split open." **_

Soul stared at his counterpart with absolute disgust, red eyes wide with disbelief as he clenched Maka tighter to him. Standing before him was an absolute _monster_. Grinding his teeth together, the weapon resisted the urge to slice him in half, body shaking in barely contained murderous rage. Maka let out a squeak of pain and grunted for him to loosen his grip.

"_**That's all I see…every waking second, minute, hour, day, month, years. There's still a part of the old me, buried deep inside beneath the madness. It takes over the madness for a short while, but it never lasts long. Asura's madness is overwhelmingly comforting." **_

Dark Soul suddenly grinned manically, the madness expanding around him rapidly as his arms transformed. Soul felt his back hit against something and glanced back to see he had hid a slab of concrete, misjudging the distance to the hallway to his right. He couldn't make it before the attack hit so the weapon quickly turned his back, hunching over and covering Maka's head against his chest.

"_**Time to—!" **_

"_LIKE FUCK YOU WILL!" _

A loud explosion rang in Soul's ears as a powerful wind picked up, whipping violently at his body. Electricity filled the air and Maka carefully peeked over her partners shoulder, green eyes wide. Black Star had slammed into dark Soul with his wavelength, clutching him tightly around the throat. Tsubaki quickly made her way over to the duo, tugging hard on Soul's jacket towards the hallway.

"Black Star!" Maka cried as a blast of madness sent him crashing into the spot they were just at.

"_Get her out of here, now!" _The ninja screamed as he launched himself forward, arm pulled back tightly, palm bursting with electricity. _"Tsubaki!" _

"_I'm on it!" _The weapon yelled back, frantically shoving Soul down the hallway.

"W-wait! We can't just leave him!" Maka cried desperately as she tried loosening Soul's grip. "He'll be killed, Tsubaki!"

"_If that's his decision, then I can't stop him, Maka." _Tsubaki kept her gaze forward as they ran. _"We've all lost you once, we can't lose you __**again**__."_

Maka bit her lip to stop the tears from falling as they weaved around debris and sprinted down collapsing stairwells. Tsubaki suddenly jerked to a stop, throwing her arm out in front of Soul, eyes trained ahead of them in the darkness. A flash of light produced two kunai in her palms, fingers wrapping tightly around the handles.

"Shit, is that…?" Soul muttered as he took a step back, the madness twitching wildly in his body as his fingers began twitching uncontrollably.

"_You remember how to get back?" _Tsubaki spoke lowly. _"We'll rejoin you later, get her to safety." _

"Not you too, Tsubaki, _please_." Maka pleaded to her friend, receiving a strained smile in return.

"_This is how our world is, Maka, it's everyone for themselves now. We'll find our way back to you, we always do." _

Kid emerged from the shadows slowly, cape furling and twisting around him slowly as he studied the people standing before him. Tsubaki slid her foot forward, shifting to a defensive stance as she held her arms close to her body. Dulled golden eyes briefly glanced at the demon weapon before shifting to rest on a familiar pair of red eyes.

"_It appears you are different than your corrupted counterpart." _Kid said evenly, eyes darting to Maka. _"And I recall warning you not to move from your spot. Apparently you're incompetent to instructions." _

"Did you really expect me to sit around and wait so you could _kill_ me?" Maka said sharply, motioning for Soul to set her down. "Kid, you've read my soul, you _know_ I'm real. I understand you've distanced yourself from everyone because of what happened. I…ran into this world's Soul after you left, he told me what had happened, how the madness took over his mind and body. A part of him, the _original_ him, still resides in there somewhere."

"_He slaughtered nearly the entirety of this city after slaying you, do you expect me to forgive that? Just pretend it never happened?" _Kid's eyes brightened as the lines of Sanzu began to glow. _"You fail to comprehend the full severity of the situation, __**imitator**__, the never-ending nightmare it is to live in this world overrun with Asura's madness." _

Maka steadied herself on the ground, lightly removing Soul's tensed hand from her shoulder as she faced Kid. Every movement she made, every slight twitch, was followed intently with his eyes. Kid was guarding himself, wary of the distance between them. Taking a tentative step forward, the meister noticed how his foot shifted slightly backwards. Another step, another shift. His eyes widened a fraction more as she kept moving forward. Soul shared a nervous look with Tsubaki, both watching, tensed to move at a moments notice.

"Kid," Maka said softly, stopping the Reaper in his tracks. She closed the distance between them, looking up at him with a calm demeanor. Slowly she raised her hand, fingers outstretched towards his face. "Let me help you."

Kid tensed, eyes wide as Maka touched his face, resting her palm against his cheek. It was…warm. A warmth he hadn't felt in years. It was something that didn't exist anymore in this cold Hell, a foreign feeling that had died off many years ago. Slowly he raised his hand, the Sanzu lines extinguishing, to do the same, dirty fingers hesitating to touch her face. After a nod from her, he closed the gap and rested his hand on her face.

"I'm alive, Kid," Maka whispered, shifting to clasp her hand over his. "I may not be the Maka from this world, but I'm here right now. I'll do anything I can to help you, so _please_, go help Black Star before we lose him too. Use your power to help your friend, _our _friend, Kid. I know you can do it."

Kid hesitated, staring uncertainly into those confident emerald eyes he missed so much. After everything that had happened over the years, the last thing Black Star would agree to would be his help, especially after the beating he just took from the Reaper. Most likely the ninja would vehemently deny the help and try to attack both him and Soul. But something about the way she looked at him with such determination and confidence swayed Kid and he slowly nodded. An explosion trembled through the building, dust falling over them in a heavy powdered sheet. A deafening groaning sound resonated through the air. The two meisters looked up in surprise.

"Maka!" Soul screamed as the ceiling above them began collapsing, Tsubaki forcing the two weapons backwards as tons of concrete crashed into the ground.

"_Maka! Can you hear us?" _Tsubaki cried out as she waved at the thick cloud of dust, coughing into arm. _"Maka!"_

Another rumbling shook the ground beneath them, the dust being blasted away with a powerful wind. Just as quickly as it came, it vanished, leaving the immediate area cleared of any dust and debris. Maka unclenched her eyes, aware of the arms wrapped around her protectively, and jerked her head up to look into golden ones. Kid's eyes were glowing brightly as he gave her the smallest hint of a smile before releasing her and stepping back. The lines of Sanzu died down.

"Kid…"

"_We'll talk later. Leave the area, I'll find you." _The Reaper chastely kissed the top of her head before heading towards the stairwell, cloak floating softly above the ground. It felt like he was silently apologizing, yet there was something more to it, almost as if he were saying _goodbye_.

"Maka, are you okay?" Soul rushed up to her, taking her face in his hands, examining every inch. "He didn't hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Soul. I think I got through to him," Maka released a small breath and winced. Pressing a hand to her stomach, she grimaced as she pulled it away, looking at the fresh black blood coating her palm. "I…"

Maka felt the world around her spin as her legs gave out, the dull colors swirling violently before everything plunged into darkness once more. Soul supported her weight against his chest, brows knitting together in distress as he supported her in his arms. Tsubaki was at his side quickly, reaching into the small bag slung across her back and pulled out a small roll of bandages. Working quickly, she wrapped the roll around Maka's waist, the black blood slowly seeping through the dirt tinged fabric. The demon weapon tied the ends tightly before stepping back, wiping the blood on her hands against her clothing.

"Tsubaki, I need you to get her out of here." Soul spoke quietly as he scooped up his unconscious meister. "I'm going with him."

"Soul, are you sure? Things are going to get even more dangerous with Kid joining." Tsubaki knitted her brows as she gently placed a hand on his arm.

"He laid his hands on her, I can't forgive that. I know you understand it, so please, take her and _go_." With a nod of confirmation, Soul carefully placed Maka on Tsubaki's back, ensuring she was fully secured before stepping back.

"Please, be careful up there."

"I will. Take good care of Maka for me."

"Don't worry, I'll get her fixed up when I get to the hideout." Tsubaki adjusted the weight on her back before sparing him another glance. "Bring them both home."

Soul nodded and Tsubaki took off into the darkness. With a deep breath in, the weapon steeled his will before turning on his heel, following the path they had just taken. He wasn't sure what was going to happen once he got up there, nor if he would come back in one piece, but one thing was for sure; he was going to _destroy_ the other him.

If it meant saving Maka, he'd kill anyone who laid a hand on her.

Even if it cost him his life.

* * *

Kid stared anxiously out of the plane window, his leg bouncing rapidly against the carpeted floor. As soon as the remainder of Mardella's magic had vanished, Black Star and Tsubaki were sent to find the box in Maka and Soul's apartment while the Reaper called an emergency meeting in the Death Room for all teachers and Death Scythes. It wasn't an easy thing to do, suddenly announcing that the staff would be in charge temporarily while he left the city for urgent business. Only the Death Scythes and the teachers closest to Kid knew the exact reason for the sudden leave. Spirit had tried to force his way onto the plane as they were boarding but Marie knocked him out cold, assuring the team everything would be handled.

Behind him, Tsubaki, Liz, and Patty sat around a map of the area they were travelling to, talking quietly amongst themselves. Black Star was sitting in the back corner of the plane, silently staring out the window much like Kid was currently doing, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Forcing his leg to stop twitching, Kid felt his back pop as he stood. They had been on the plane for nearly ten hours already, with another few or so to go. The girls barely acknowledged him as he passed by, too engrossed in the battle plans they were preparing.

"We'll get them back," Kid spoke quietly as he stood over Black Star, though even his own words lacked a convincing tone.

"I'm going to find that witch, Kid, and I'm going to _murder_ her. You won't stop me." The ninja replied darkly, green eyes never leaving the clouds as they passed by. "I'll tear through an entire country to find her."

"I understand what you're feeling, what we're _all_ feeling, but we can't afford to be reckless about this. Witch Esadora is an ancient witch akin to Mardella, meaning she's immensely powerful as well. With Ametrine's soul, Asura's madness, and the ability to open tears in space, we can't tread lightly around her."

"Kid, whenever we do find her," Black Star broke his gaze to look up at his friend, eyes flashing yellow for the briefest moment. "I won't hold back until I rip the soul from her body and _crush_ _it in my bare hands_."

Kid pursed his lips and tightly nodded. There would be no stopping him. With a heavy-handed pat on his shoulder, Kid turned to walk to the cockpit, anxious to check on the item in the box they had retrieved. It was something unexpected, at least to some extent, when they had opened it in the Death Room. As the lid was removed, a brief flash of light illuminated the surround area before dissipating and revealing the item. It was a golden compass, a type that none of them had ever seen before, nestled snugly in a silver pillow. The face appeared to be celestial themed with a night sky showing the constellations in their respective positioning among the stars. The intricately carved needle was resting in the North position, unknown symbols imprinted into the arm.

With a quick knock on the cockpit door, Kid waited for the all-clear before entering, shutting the door silently behind him.

"How are things looking so far?"

"Things are looking good, Lord Death," One of the pilots nodded approvingly. "We're even looking at being ahead of schedule by an hour or so thanks to the tailwinds. My guess is around two hours or so and we should be reaching the landing strip."

"Excellent. Has the compass been working well?"

"This thing is the most accurate compass I've ever seen! Whoever created this turned it into a _masterpiece_." The co-pilot beamed as he carefully handed it to Kid, treating it like a delicate piece of glass. "It's even better than the on-board equipment, if I say so myself."

Kid held the compass up, cupping it with both hands as he watched the arm slowly sway Northeast to hover over the Cygnus constellation. He wasn't sure if it had a specific meaning or not, though the constellation tended to be the most prominent during the height of summer. It was silly to assume the stars were guiding them in the direction of Esadora, though after everything that had happened so far, Kid wasn't entirely sure he _didn't_ believe everything evolved around the stars.

A knock on the door pulled the Reaper from his thoughts and he carefully handed the irreplaceable compass back before bidding farewell to the pilots. Black Star was leaning against the wall just outside, hands shoved deeply into his pockets. With a quick nod of his head, they headed towards the girls.

"We've mapped out the area of woods surrounding the landing strip," Tsubaki explained as the two boys joined, tracing a delicate finger over a red highlighted area. "There's a smaller zone to clear on the left side and the larger one is on the right. The landing strip goes straight for about two miles or so before the jungle hits heavier foliage and the runway ends. If we split up into teams we can each take one side. If someone locates the witch, send a signal flare and we'll come running to the location. Try to avoid conflict if possible, we want to keep her where she is since the jungle goes on for dozens of miles in each direction."

"Shouldn't we just be able to sense her magic?" Liz asked, tapping the map with an elongated nail.

"She could be using Soul Protect," Kid input. "I'm not as skilled as Maka when it comes to sensing soul wavelengths, but Witch Esadora is an ancient witch, one who is immensely powerful and conniving if she was able to steal the celestial blood from Witch Mardella. I wouldn't put it past her to place traps throughout the area."

"I'll just blow them all up, no big deal." Black Star shrugged at the exasperated groans.

"_Stealth, _Star," Liz swatted a rolled-up magazine at him, grimacing as she missed. "If this witch has the power to open different _dimensions_, then we need to take every precaution!"

"We'll get them back, don't worry." Kid clapped Black Star on the shoulder, gold burning into green. "We won't stop until they're safe and sound back home."

"S'not what I'm really worried about." Everyone looked at him, confused. "It's the fact that they were thrown into a world overflowing with Asura's madness. What's gonna happen if Maka can't get to Soul if he loses his mind there?"

The group went silent, the question weighing heavily in the air. What _would_ happen? Kid knew the black blood had been under control for years, but there had never really been a massive surge of madness flowing in the world after the battle on the Moon and the Russia incident. Maka was also always at his side, her anti-demon wavelength keeping the madness at bay. He had all the faith in the world that they could handle themselves without issue. Being in a realm where Asura's madness reigned freely wasn't for the weak minded.

"They'll be alright," Kid finally spoke, feeling all eyes on him. "As long as they're together, they can overcome the madness. I have complete faith in them."

He just hoped he was right.

* * *

Mardella rarely ever visited Ananke in her Olympus home due to the fact she always ran into other Gods along the only pathway to where the mighty and powerful beings resided. Currently, the God Narcissus was blocking her attempts to pass, admiring his perfect looks in a mirror while chattering aimlessly about himself. Being the patient person, Mardella allowed him to ramble on for the first few minutes, but her patience was wearing thinner by the second.

"Narcissus, forgive me for interrupting you," The God merely hummed, barely heeding her presence. "I have urgent matters to attend to, so if you would kindly move aside—"

"I haven't even finished telling you about the most dramatic part of the story!" He whined, pulling at the corners of his eye, searching for crows' feet. "So, there I was, admiring myself as usual, when I see what appears to be a _grey hair_! Can you believe that?! I panicked and spent hours trying to find it once more only to discover it was just a _thread_ from my robe!"

"Narcissus—"

"I can't believe I panicked over a thread! Thank the Heavens above it was just that and not a grey hair! I don't know what I'd do with myself—"

"_Narcissus, please—"_

"Do you think I'm getting wrinkles, Marcy? Oh, I would be _devastated—!_"

Mardella felt her last nerve snap and she felt the uncontrollable rage of Chronos bubbling to the surface. With a flash of light her body transformed, growing and stretching to an impossible height, a long white beard pooling on the pathway. A shimmering celestial robe donned the massive body as it towered over a now speechless Narcissus, anger contorting his aged face.

"_You ignorant fool," _Chronos rumbled down at the puny God below him. _"The fate of the world is resting on my shoulders, yet here you are blathering away like an annoying bird attempting to chat its way out of death. Lest you want to become crushed beneath my feet, __**move out of my way**__."_

The God did such that, bowing while profusely apologizing as he scrambled out of the way, his mirror long forgotten as it fell from the pathway, spinning into the cosmos below. Chronos grumbled before reverting back to Mardella's usual form in a flash of light. The witch pursed her lips as she sent a glare at the self-obsessed God, sending him scrambling for the hills far away from her. With a shake of her head, Mardella marched down the pathway, fists clenched at her side. If that _idiot_ hadn't taken so long talking about himself then maybe she would have arrived by now. Time was of the essence.

Many of the Gods residing in the Heavens ignored _her_ for the most part, whispering slander and spreading rumors behind her back, though when Chronos made his appearance, they fell at his feet, worshipping the ground the powerful God crossed. After avoiding the realm for hundreds of years, the Gods were tittering as the news spread like wildfire. Mardella knew it wouldn't be long before the offspring of Chronos would be welcoming her with weapons drawn as she noticed Hermes zooming towards the center of Olympus. Tensions had been high ever since the God attempted to eat all of his children, according to predictions told by Gaia and Uranus, with Zeus being the one who escaped and eventually defeated his father along with Poseidon and Hades. As powerful of a Titan as he was, three of his own had managed to overpower him and throw him into the body of a powerful witch on Earth, becoming an experiment of sorts for their entertainment. The first few hundred years were miserable as the two opposites battled constantly for reign of the body, pockets of space becoming destroyed by powerful magical spells as their powers clashed against one another. Though they eventually came to terms, it was a long and painful road to get to that point.

_**Zeus shall arrive shortly. Poseidon and Hades shall most likely hear of our arrival.**_

"I am well aware of what is about to happen," Mardella answered Chronos with a tight voice. "I wish to be done and gone before another confrontation occurs."

_**They will not allow you to change the will of the stars.**_

"What choice do I have? Witch Esadora is nearly as powerful as I am, meaning she can throw the world into chaos at any moment. The flow of time is beginning to alter in the realm we were just in. Asura will release his madness and corrupt everything and everyone unless we stop it."

_**They will not allow the timeline to be altered by a chimera of witch and God. **_

"Then I will do it without their help and accept the consequences of Ananke."

Ananke's house shimmered into existence just a few hundred feet from the witch, a quaint temple with a vibrant garden lining the now stone pathway. Servants were tending to the foliage with care, lightly snipping magnificent rose bushes into a perfect spherical shape. A young girl, happily laying rose heads into her woven basket, glanced up at the approaching figure. With a double take, she quickly whistled an alert to the others before throwing herself at the edge of the pathway, kneeling and bowing with her basket in front of her as an offering. Others soon joined, holding out their offerings of every imaginable type of flower variety growing in the garden.

"_Welcome, Witch Mardella and God Chronos." _They chorused. _"This way, Goddess Ananke is awaiting your arrival." _

_**Such pathetic servants, my child deserves strong armed guards to protect her from that nuisance Zeus and his insatiable loins. **_Chronos grumbled unhappily.

"You can complain later, we have little time before your _other_ child shows up and blasts this place into oblivion."

Mardella swept up the massive marble steps, cloak swishing wildly as she hurried into the temple, glancing over her shoulder towards Olympus in the distance. Dark clouds appeared to be forming over its peak, a sign Zeus had received the news.

Servants ushered the witch along solemnly, the tension in the air causing unease. An illuminated doorway to their right meant Ananke was most likely in there, but most certainly not alone. Three voices drifted from the room as they neared, ones Chronos knew well as he sighed heavily within Mardella.

_The fate of time is never wrong… _

_And it can never be swayed…_

_For it shall defy the will of the stars…_

"I am well aware of the will of the stars," Ananke replied quietly as Mardella entered the room. "My children, this is a grave matter that if not taken care of shall—"

_Ah, God Chronos and Witch Mardella…_

_A pleasure…_

_To see you once more…_

Ananke turned swiftly, greeting Mardella with a short bow. Returning the greeting, the witch lightly made her way over to the three figures sitting around a pile of golden threat strung tightly around a handful of wooden spindles. One of them, a beautiful blonde-haired woman, held a glimmering thread between her fingers as another grasped the other end, her rich brown locks waving down her back. The third, with shimmering silver locks, held a pair of sharp shears up to it, watching as the thread began to glow brightly before the blades sliced it cleanly in two. The three young women, scarcely clothed in Grecian robes, stood and bowed before the God.

"Moirai, I come to you today to—"

_Ask for our assistance…_

_In regard to the flow of Time…_

_Becoming corrupted with madness…_

"I beg of you, the madness of Asura has escaped into the flow of Time, threatening all matters of reality." Mardella pleaded to the Ladies of Fate. "Even the Gods will not be safe from this threat."

_We are well aware…_

_That even we are not safe from this threat…_

_Which looms over us in a haze of darkness…_

"Father, I have tried everything in my power to convince them to allow you to alter the timeline," Ananke spoke softly beside Mardella, soft golden eyes filled with sadness. "They say it is the will of the stars, in which it cannot be changed. Please, even I understand the severity of this catastrophe awaiting to befall us all."

Mardella grabbed her hands gently, looking at her with a calm demeanor. "I shall do what I can, Zeus has heard of my arrival and shall be here soon. Can you distract him?"

"Yes, I will do what I can." Ananke nodded, bending down and kissing the hands enclosing her own. "I leave fate within your palms."

Once she was gone, Mardella felt the familiar searing heat as Chronos began to emerge from within. Unlike last time, his form retained more normal proportions, though he still towered over the Ladies of Fate. With bows of their heads, they greeted the God before them, offering sacred wine to him. He took it with murmur of gratitude.

_God Chronos, Father of Time…_

_We welcome you to our sanctum…_

_As the Moirai…_

_**I am honored to be in your presence, Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos. I request your guidance and judgement in these troubled times. **_

_Of course, God Chronos, we shall offer…_

_The answers that you seek…_

_In order to save the realm from destruction…_

_**Asura, a being of pure fear and madness, has begun to corrupt multiple streamlines of Time, altering the will of the stars and destroying everything in its path. **_Chronos recited the words Mardella was instructing to him. _**I ask of your assistance in stopping this creature of destruction by cleansing the timelines and returning them to the normal flow. **_

_God Chronos…_

_Witch Mardella…._

_We respect your authority…_

Mardella frowned as she watched through Chronos' eyes as the three exchange an uneasy look amongst themselves. Ananke was the one who could command them, though there was another who could sway their decisions as well…

_We have been directly ordered…_

_By the God of Lightning…_

_To disobey any orders from you or Goddess Ananke…_

_**Zeus may think he has say over what you can and cannot do… **_Chronos rumbled dangerously, the three Fate's flinching back. _**But**_ _**I command thee to pay no heed to his orders and to abide by thy and Ananke's words. I have heard the will of the stars' screams of agony as life diminishes from the cosmos, life burning for eons extinguished as they are overwhelmed with madness and insanity.**_

The three shared a distressed look. They were internally debating between themselves judging from the rapid eye movement and various facial expressions. Mardella grit her teeth. She _knew_ Zeus would pull something stupid like this, the arrogant bastard only wanting to control everything atop his golden throne in Olympus. Though they may have been commanded by the almighty King of Gods, Chronos and Ananke were the ones who could _truly_ sway the will of the stars if needed.

_After much debating…_

_We have decided…_

Before Atropos could speak, a roar shook the temples foundation, sending the spools of thread scattering across the marble flooring. Chronos stood, anger contorting his face as the air filled with electricity, Ananke's pleading voice echoing down the hallway.

_**Conceal yourselves, I shall find you after this matter is taken care of. Do what you must to save the realms from the unquenchable madness.**_

The Moirai quickly vanished in a cloud of smoke, any trace of their existence gone.

"Chronos…"

_**I am aware, Mardella. They cannot abide by his restrictions and they will do what they can to prepare. I will end this quickly. **_

Chronos walked slowly through the doorway, celestial eyes burning brightly with the rage of a thousand suns as they turned to his child storming towards him, lightning bolt in hand. Ananke quickly backed away, ushering the servants and crowd of nosey Gods and Goddesses far away from the temple before the battle ensued. Zeus stopped just feet from his father, a dark expression on his face.

**Father, your presence here was unknown to me, though I know full well what you are here for. **

_**Zeus, you have no right to command the Fate to disobey orders from Ananke and myself. Has all of the entitlement of being 'King' of the Gods rotted your mind?**_

**My mind is clear as always, **Zeus snarled as he eyed his father up. **You have no business in attempting to alter the flow of time—**

_**Foolish child! **_Chronos bellowed, the temple threatening to collapse from the force. _**Do you not see what is beyond this realm? How not only the stars above are dying out rapidly, but many tears in space are being corrupted by the madness? If you could look further beyond than the fruits of countless women you would notice this world is threatened as well! **_

**Silence! I shall not take these insults to my kingdom!**

_**I created you! I gave you life! You think of nothing but yourself!**_

**You devoured my siblings due to a prophecy of being overthrown by your children! Yet you fell right into that ensnarement and found yourself merged with the body of a witch as punishment. I guess it was not harsh enough of a judgement brought upon you. **Zeus lifted his arm back preparing to throw the lightning bolt.

"Give me control of your arms, Chronos!" Mardella cried as the power of the bolt increased exponentially. "I can deflect it—!"

_**There is no need, Mardella, for I shall not be the one receiving harsh judgement. **_The God rumbled as he inhaled deeply.

With a slow exhale, Chronos' body began to expand rapidly, his back hitting the ceiling and causing marble to rain down over Zeus. A mighty explosion shook the realm as the God transformed into his Titan form, towering above all others with a mighty roar. Lightning clouds darkened the skies as the air became supercharged, small bolts hitting Chronos in succession. A blast of marble revealed an angered Zeus, bolts vibrating violently in his palms.

_**Lend me your power, Witch Mardella, so that we may end this once and for all.**_

"Are you going to kill him? Your own child?" Mardella asked hesitantly, preparing to release the full extent of her powers. "I understand your reasons, but there must be another way to end this amicably, Chronos. We are running out of time."

_**I ask of you, your strength, Mardella, not to vanquish my own blood, but to freeze all of Time. **_

It hit her instantly. "Y-you want to freeze the realm in order to fix the flow of Time? The consequences of that are—"

_**I am aware of the punishment for this sin, there is no other option lest I slay the entirety of this realm. **_Chronos lifted a mighty foot before slamming it down onto Zeus, the shockwave obliterating the temple remnants. _**Zeus will not back down easily. Together, we can freeze Time and preserve the will of the stars. Look, darkness has already begun to seep into this world. **_

Mardella watched through his eyes as he pointed a massive finger towards the Northern sky, a noticeable dark cloud growing larger by the minute as it slunk towards them. Asura's mark flashed on her palm, the searing pain causing her to wince. Zeus used his mighty strength to lift his father's foot above his head, body enflamed in electricity as he pushed with all his might, sending the Titan stumbling back.

"I pray you know what you are doing, Chronos."

_**I alone shall atone for the sin I am about to partake. **_

Magic pooled in Mardella's core, quickly travelling from her torso and throughout her body, the most power gathering in her hands. What they were about to do was heavily forbidden due to its dark magic nature and potentially _permanent_ results. With a shaky breath out, Mardella's mouth formed the words.

"_Heavens above, hear thy call, thine will is thy command, thee shall obey. Align the cosmos, cease the flow of Time. Forbidden spell of Darkness–" _The celestial orb appeared in her outstretched hands, glowing warmly as it levitated upwards. With one final deep breath, she unleashed her magic. _"Ouránia diafthorá tou chrónou!" Celestial Corruption of Time!_

* * *

Black Star coughed heavily as he sat up against the wall, blood dribbling down his chin. He was no match for Soul, the overflowing madness making him stronger. Without a weapon it was a death sentence for the meister. But if it meant saving Maka, even if it wasn't _their_ Maka, then he'd gladly die to know she was safe.

"_**C'mon Star, I know you can fight a lot better than that." **_Dark Soul taunted as he sauntered over slowly, blades dripping with blood. _**"You were one of the best fighters for the DWMA, nearly stronger than Kid. It's no fun killing you if you're just going to sit there and accept your fate."**_

"_Yer a real piece of shit, Evans," _Black Star wiped the blood from his mouth, grimacing as pain shot through his arm. He was fairly sure it was at least dislocated if not fractured. _"If the real you is still in there, this isn't __**cool**__."_

"_**Unfortunately, the real me is currently drowning in Asura's madness. He does try his hardest, cursing and screaming as he tries to stay afloat, though he never stays for long." **_Soul stopped just in front of the downed meister, blade lifting above his head. _**"At least now you can join Maka for one last reunion. Goodbye, Black Star."**_

His body felt heavy as he glared up at his former friend, blood seeping from the scythe wound to his chest. He had tried, harder than most of the others, to survive this hellish land for years. There were times when he had wanted to end it all, to be put out of his misery and the haunting nightmares that clawed at the edges of his mind. Tsubaki was the one thing keeping him alive, her presence keeping him grounded to reality and out of the dark corners of his mind. Maybe they both should have died, almost everyone else had already thanks to the unending madness plaguing the world. As he watched the scythes blade glint with his blood, Black Star accepted his fate readily as he closed his eyes, taking solace in knowing Maka had been saved for the final time.

Searing pain tore across his collarbone as the tip of the blade connected briefly, blood pouring down his chest and he let out a strained yell of pain. When no other pain followed, Black Star snapped his eyes open, mouth gaping at the scene before him. Soul had stumbled backwards, hands clutching at his chest as he released an agonized scream. The madness was reacting as well, spasming around him violently, like it was being burned alive. Hands clutched at his head as the weapon stumbled backwards, tripping over a chunk of rock before hitting the ground hard.

"_**Black…Star…" **_The meister jerked in surprise, staring at the twitching form with wide eyes. _**"Get…out of…here…now…" **_

"_Soul? That really you?" _Black Star pushed himself up with a grunt, clutching his shoulder. _"Can you hear me? Fight it, Soul, take back control of your body!" _

"_**Can't…hold on for…much longer…please, just go…"**_

"_I…" _Could he really save him? The madness would most likely just consume his soul once more, taking the meister down with him. But Soul was his friend, no matter the circumstance. He _had_ to try. _"Maka is alive, you need to fight for her, Soul. Don't you __**ever**__ give up on fighting! Show me the strength you worked so hard to reach as a Death Scythe! Don't throw away everything you and Maka worked for!" _

A flood of madness blasted over the area and Black Star's back hit the wall, the immense pressure pinning him there. Dark Soul was pushed back from the force, flying across the room and slamming into a wall, the blast aimed directly at him. Through squinted eyes, he noticed it wasn't coming from the weapon himself, but from to his right.

"Black Star!"

"_Soul?" _

Soul appeared by his side, fighting the force of the madness radiating over the area. "Can you still fight?"

"_Y-yeah, I think I can still fight, but Soul—"_

"_Get him out of here, Soul, I'll take care of the rest." _Black Star tensed at the voice.

"_Kid, the fuck are you doing here? Finally playing hero after most of our friends died off?" _

"Star, I can explain later, we need to get out of the way." Soul tugged on his arm, wincing as a stray rock sliced across his cheek. "Tsubaki already took Maka and left. This whole building has become unstable."

"_I ain't leaving here," _Soul opened his mouth to protest but Black Star cut him off. _"The other Soul, he's still in there. He overpowered the madness and saved me from having my head lopped off."_

"_Whether or not he's in there, he still needs to pay for his sins." _Kid replied darkly as he waltzed past them, lines of Sanzu glowing brightly.

"_So, you're going to kill him? You think that will bring Maka back? She's __**dead**__, Kid, and no matter much you beat the shit out of him, it won't bring her back. If you can purge the madness from his body, then maybe—"_

"_Maybe what? Cleansing him is only a temporary solution, nothing more. Even if it were possible to purge him completely of the madness, it could cost him his life. Soul is one with the madness and black blood. Take one away…" _

"And he'll die." Soul finished tightly. He wondered if the same thing could happen to him.

"_**Well, isn't this a nice little reunion." **_Dark Soul gave a twisted smile as he pulled himself from the rubble, black blood cascading over his face from a head wound. _**"All reunited to fight against the bad guy. Such a cliché moment." **_

"_This will be a one-sided battle. I should have done this long ago." _Kid released his full power, the force sending Black Star and Soul skidding back.

Dark Soul grinned as he threw his arms out, accepting the blast of madness with welcome arms. The blast obscured his body from view, the force of the wave enough to blow out the wall behind him, debris flying into the distance. Soul transformed his arm, slashing at any rocks that bounced back towards them. Kid narrowed his eyes as he extinguished the madness with a closed fist, body tensed as he looked around, following something unseen through the walls. His eyes landed on the area where Soul and Black Star stood, palm quickly shifting towards them.

"_Move."_

Soul yanked the ninja to the ground just as the concrete slab behind them exploded, the blackened tip of the blade slicing a few strands of the weapons hair. Kid fired at him immediately, dark Soul dodging it by shifting his weight mid-air.

"_**I know," **_Soul purred as he landed above them all, balancing on a bent a rusted piece of steel. _**"Why don't I tell Asura where your little friends are hiding out? I'm sure he'd love to visit with Maka before he rips the soul from her very body." **_

"What?" Soul yelled, snapping his neck up to glare at his corrupted counterpart.

"_Like we'll let you anywhere near them!" _Black Star snarled as he pushed past Soul, forcing his soul's wavelength to pool in his hands. Kid glared dangerously at his former friend, golden eyes burning brightly. Dark Soul tittered with glee.

"_**Oh, maybe I should have mentioned he was already on his way there. It's not every day I have to become a distraction for Lord Death, my apologies for the poor performance." **_

Soul felt panic flood his body as he whipped his head to look at Black Star. He could feel the anger rolling off of him as his eyes flashed yellow and he vanished.

"_Soul, get out of here and protect the girls! Gloomy and I can handle this!" _Black Star barked as he swung his good arm at Dark Soul, missing his target by a long shot.

"_Is now really the time for nicknames?" _Kid drawled as he cut Soul off, kicking him and sending him crashing through the floors.

"I won't leave you two!" Soul yelled, throwing his arm over his face as the wind sliced at him. "Star, you're too injured to fight right now! Let me and Kid handle this."

"_**And they say chivalry is dead." **_Dark Soul cooed as he appeared before Soul, arm swinging back. _**"You wanna play scythe boy? Then let's play!" **_

Soul quickly rolled out of the way, hearing his jacket rip in the process as Dark Soul sliced at him as he shot by. The thick material split completely in half and the weapon tossed the remnants aside, transforming both arms as he stared down his counterpart.

"Fine by me!" Soul yelled as he launched forward, twisting as he jumped into the air.

"_Kid, what the hell do we do?" _Black Star watched as their blades collided at nearly untraceable speeds, the clangs of metal nearly deafening.

"_I can sense Asura is on his way here, we need to secure the girls and stop him from killing Maka." _Kid took one last glance at the battle before turning on his heel. _"Soul can handle himself." _

"_You hit yer head or something since I last saw you? Since when the hell do you care about either of them?" _

"_No, a certain meister has just reminded me of something important." _Kid said softly, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"_I knew she would get through to you!" _Black Star laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

"_Don't make me blast you through the wall." _

"_Ah, you love me, and you know it!" _The ninja turned in the direction of the fight and cupped his hands over his mouth. _"Soul, you better kick his ass or I'm kicking yours back to your own world!" _

"I'm more afraid of Maka beating my ass for losing!" Soul grunted as he blocked Dark Soul's blades, the metal screeching as it scraped together. "Now, get out of here and stall Asura until I get there."

"_Don't die on us!" _

"Never planned on it."

Kid and Black Star left the room and the two weapons skidded to a halt, sweat dripping down their faces as they stared each other down. Soul felt the madness squirming inside of him, begging to be freed to unleash destruction.

'_**Come on, Evans, you know you want to release the madness,'**_

'_So, you're finally back. Took you long enough.' _Soul thought as he swung his leg out, connecting with Dark Soul's face. _'I always knew it wouldn't be so easy to kill you.'_

'_**Thanks to your meister, I ended up being suppressed by her overwhelming anti-demon wavelength. That really is a terrible thing, you know.' **_The ogre huffed.

'_Saved my ass more times than I can count. Now, are we going to just sit around and talk or are we going to get down to business?'_

Soul stood in the darkness, hands shoved in his pockets as a door materialized behind him, a bright light slipping through the opening. With a grin he turned, stepping through the door of the black room, his usual clothes now replaced with a pinstripe suit. The ogre stood by the piano, gesturing to the pulled-out bench with a wide smile.

'_**I've kept her nice and clean for you. Let's put on a good show for our audience, shall we?' **_

Taking a seat on the bench, Soul lifted the cover, running his fingers over the ivory keys lightly He positioned himself, hands hovering over the keys at the ready. He closed his eyes, relishing over the familiar warmth zipping through his veins, electrifying every nerve in his body. It felt good, the madness, as it washed over him, the weapon readily accepting the immense power. He could hear the ogre tittering excitedly beside him.

'Let's give him a show he won't soon forget.'

With a deep breath in, Soul slammed down on the keys, a dark haunting tune erupting from the piano.

"_**Oh? Seems you're ready to fight for real this time." **_Dark Soul felt his lips curling into an impossibly large smile, giddy as he watched the splitting image of himself suddenly slouch over. _**"Well, come on then, don't disappoint me!" **_

"The only disappointment…" Soul chuckled, his movements jagged as he straightened up. "Is that this fight will be over before you can even _blink_!"

Dark Soul blinked and the weapon was gone, barely a cloud of dust moving from his spot. Something collided with his back and sent him crashing through the walls of the school, the already unstable structure groaning under the chaos as he rolled to a stop on the debris lidden floor, coughing. A noise reached his ears and he stumbled out of the way just as Soul landed where he was, blade imbedded in the tile. The madness inside of him tingled excitedly as he stood, the cloud of dust separating them slowly clearing.

"_**Feels nice, doesn't it? All that power coursing through your veins!" **_

"Unlike you…" Soul growled lowly, stepping through the dust screen, bladed arms at his sides. "I can keep my cool while under the madness. The real you may still be under there somewhere, but unless you can fight your way out, then today's going to be your _last_."

"_**Show me, Evans, what it's like to be the last Death Scythe!" **_

* * *

**Sorry for the delays, been busy with work and chickens. Plus, I took some time to redo Captured, my Avatar the Last Airbender fanfic, so that's been taking my time as well. **

**Okay, so there is some iffy information on Chronos and Ananke. Originally, I had read they were father and daughter. That's not the case. Apparently they are siblings, which considering Grecian mythology, isn't exactly uncommon. But it is kinda gross. For the sake of the story, they're father and daughter because I don't want to change the other chapters and don't feel like writing about incest. **


End file.
